National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) releases signed “Record of Decision” (ROD) on disposing of 6 metric tons of plutonium located at SRS in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), March 30, 2016
April 5 Update: ROD printed in Federal Register:
linked here
Statement on ROD signed on March 29 by NNSA Administrator Klotz – linked here
Accompanying fact sheet from NNSA – linked here
“Preferred Alternative” to blendown 6 MT of plutonium – Federal Register, January 24, 2016 – on which the ROD is based – linked here
Federal Register notice making ROD official likely to appear by April 1
This decision is in part designed to convince the State of South Carolina that some of the 13 MT of plutonium stored at SRS will be leaving the state. But there is no funding to carrying out the downblending and plans are only now being developed to carry this out. (See page 476 of Fiscal Year 2017 NNSA budget request to Congress, Feb. 2014.) Blenddown capacity at SRS is now for less than 500 kgs/per year, in one glovebox, and WIPP is still closed so the plan has obstacles to overcome. Likewise, the ROD affirms that the 900 kg of foreign “gap” plutonium to SRS will be disposed of as waste but no facilities are present or planned to do this. Will Governor Haley buy what NNSA has presented, which isn’t a lot?