| Short History of SC Becoming Nuclear Dump |
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| Written by Harriet Keyserling | |
| Tuesday, 20 March 2007 | |
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Here we go again. After thirty years of
winning, then losing, than winning legislative battles to stop burying
the nationıs low -level nuclear wastes in Barnwell, South Carolina,
another battle looms. As with so many issues with huge economic stakes
, this just wonıt die. Legislators and governors move on, but the
industry and its high-powered lobbyists (this year there are TEN
)never go away.
During the 60ıs there were six low-level
nuclear waste sites in the country. Three closed down and then there
were three -- South Carolina with 85% of the waste, Nevada and
Wasington with 15%. In l979 Nevada and Washington decided to shut down
because of safety issues. Our newly -elected Governor Riley said ³Wait
a minute. All the other 49 states enjoy the benefits of nuclear
technology but only South Carolina bears the risks. That's not fair
or just.² Why couldn't we just say "NO"? Because the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U. S. Constitution says that if we accept waste from one state, we must accept from all; only the Congress can change that.The three governors successfully lobbied Congress to pass the Low-Level Radioctive Waste Policy Act of 1980 which gave the states the right --and responsibility- to take care of these wastes in groups, in Congressionally approved Compacts. In 1982 Governor Riley brought eight Southern states together to form the Southeast Low-Level Nuclear Waste Compact and offered, much to the other statesı delight, to keep Barnwell open until 1992 -at which time the other states would take turns. North Carolina, selected to be next, did not meet the deadline because of enormous political resistance . Under pressure from lobbyists, Governor Campbell extended the closing to 1996. But North Carolina was still not ready in 1996 and the lobbyists went to work again. With got Gov. Beasley and legislative leaders to slip into the Appropriations Bill a provision to withdraw from the Compact and open Barnwell to the whole country. There were no public hearings, no stand-alone vote on this major policy issue. Legislators had the painful choice of voting for or against the entire Appropriations bill, proviso and all. Despite polls showing 75% of the public wanted the site closed, they voted for the bill. When Governor Hodges was elected he began the process of creating a new compact, the Atlantic Compact, with two other states, Connecticut and New Jersey, whose wastes would be limited. The site would be closed to the rest of the country July 1, 2008. ( It was important to limit the amount of waste because the site is 90% filled and South Carolina will need that space as our nuclear plants reach old age and are taken apart and buried there. With four more nuclear power plants being proposed, our need for space will increase.) As July 1, 2008 approaches, the lobbyists are back, working to undo the Atlantic Compact. Their arguments. in newspaper ads all over the state, are the same tired arguments cited when they killed the Southeast Compact in 1996.
Tom McCallI , formerly the Republican governor of Oregon, who instituted energy conservation, preserving public beaches, landuse planning - -was so depressed when he watched new political leaders reverse his policies he said,² Oregon is demure and lovely, and it ought to play a little hard to get. I think you'll all be just as sick as I am if you find she is nothing but a hungry hussy, throwing herself at every stinking smokestack.²
My thoughts exactly as I watch legislators consider once again being the nationıs nuclear waste dump. |