The U-S Energy Department plans to move plutonium stored out West, to the Savannah River Site near Augusta in South Carolina. Officials say the move will improve security and cut costs.
The shipments involve material produced decades ago for use in nuclear weapons. The plutonium would come from storages in Washington State, and research labs in New Mexico and California. Delivery of three-thousand coffee can-sized canisters could begin next month, and continue for three years.
An Energy Department spokesperson says South Carolina is a temporary storage ground, until the nuclear material can be safely processed. That however, could that over a decade to complete.
South Carolina officials agreed to accept the plutonium because of the promise of hundreds of jobs. But some of them worry the state could become a permanent dumping ground.
The shipments involve material produced decades ago for use in nuclear weapons. The plutonium would come from storages in Washington State, and research labs in New Mexico and California. Delivery of three-thousand coffee can-sized canisters could begin next month, and continue for three years.
An Energy Department spokesperson says South Carolina is a temporary storage ground, until the nuclear material can be safely processed. That however, could that over a decade to complete.
South Carolina officials agreed to accept the plutonium because of the promise of hundreds of jobs. But some of them worry the state could become a permanent dumping ground.
