GENERAL DOCUMENTS
SRS Watch initial news release (edited), April 3, 2o14: SRS Watch first news release April 3, 2014
SRS Watch public interest victories, 1970s-2024, in conjunction with partners: Savannah River Site public victories October 2024
SRS Watch director Tom Clements’ archives at the University of Georgia: https://sclfind.libs.uga.edu/sclfind/view?docId=ead/RBRL499.xml
Significant environmental victory on plutonium pit production for new nuclear warheads! The judge in federal court in Columbia, SC ruled on September 30, 2024 in a lawsuit on plutonium pit production, that DOE’s NNSA violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in not considering all impacts at all DOE sites of proposed increases in pit production (core of all nuclear warheads), including disposal of plutonium waste. The lawsuit was brought by Savannah River Site Watch (Columbia, SC), Nuclear Watch New Mexico (Santa Fe, NM) and Tri-Valley CAREs (Livermore, CA), represented by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP). The judge issued 3 documents:
“JUDGMENT IN A CIVIL ACTION,” Docket 1:21-cv-01942, September 30, 2024
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF PLAINTIFFS AS TO CLAIM ONE AND DISMISSING WITHOUT PREJUDICE CLAIMS TWO, THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE FOR LACK OF STANDING,” Docket 1:21-cv-01942, September 30, 2024
“MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DEEMING AS MOOT IN PART PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO COMPLETE OR SUPPLEMENT THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD,” Docket 1:21-cv-01942, September 30, 2024
SRS Order Mot Complete Record Sept 30 2024
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SRS Watch fact sheet on SRS – tritium for nuclear weapons & plutonium pits are fueling a new nuclear arms race, May 8, 2024: “Heart of a New Nuclear Arms Race: Plutonium “Pit” Production at the Savannah River Site – SRS Assumes Key Role in Making Plutonium Cores for New Nuclear Weapons” – pits tritium fact sheet SRS Watch May 9 2024
Letter to Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC), can be modified to send to anyone, May 7, 2024: letter to Rep Clyburn against SRS pit plant May 9 2024
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New Schedule in pit PEIS lawsuit by SRS Watch and other NGOs; “Sixth Amended Scheduling Order” – posted by the judge in the federal court in Columbia, SC on March 28, 2024: document signed by judge with new schedule March 28 2024
“Pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Civil Rules of this
District, the following schedule is established for this case.
1. Parties’ Joint Statement of Facts: Parties’ Joint Statement of Facts will be due on April
22, 2024.
2. Plaintiffs’ Opening Brief: Plaintiffs’ Opening Brief, which is limited to 50 or fewer
pages, will be due on May 3, 2024. [Note: This brief was filed.]
3. Defendants’ Response Brief: Defendants’ Response Brief, which is limited to 50 or fewer
pages, will be due on June 4, 2024.
4. Plaintiffs’ Reply Brief: Plaintiffs’ Reply Brief, which is limited to 25 or fewer pages, will
be due on June 17, 2024.
5. Defendants’ Sur-Reply: Defendants’ Sur-Reply, which is limited to 25 or fewer pages,
will be due on June 28, 2024.
6. The Court is unlikely to grant any further extensions absent a strong showing of
extraordinary circumstances.” [Comment: The judge has dragged this case out for almost three years – time for her to focus on the importnat matter at hand!]
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SRS Watch comment for the draft EIS record on HALEU production, April 1, 2024 – requesting that proliferation impacts be assessed (they have so far been ignored): draft HALEU EIS comments by SRS Watch April 1 2024
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Federal judge in Columbia, SC issues new schedule for lawsuit calling for a “programmatic” EIS on plutonium pit production, July 25, 2023: amended filing schedule in docket July 25 2023
See text of the ruling below. This schedule may shift given current discussions between our lawyers (South Carolina Environmental Law Project) and lawyers for the Department of justice (for DOE/NNSA) about documents to be allowed into the “administrative record” (AR) – documents that will form the basis of our “summary judgement” filing.
Pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Civil Rules of this
District, the following schedule is established for this case.
1. Plaintiffs may file a motion to complete or supplement the administrative record, if
necessary, no later than August 21, 2023. Defendants shall file any response to such
motion on or before September 6, 2023. If no motion to supplement the record is filed,
the record shall be considered complete on August 22, 2023.
2. Plaintiffs may file a motion for summary judgment no later than November 27, 2023.
3. Defendants may file a combined motion for summary judgment and response to
Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment no later than December 29, 2023.
4. Plaintiffs may file a combined response to Defendants’ motion for summary judgment
and reply in support of Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment no later than January
29, 2024.
SRS Citizens Advisory Board (Nuclear Materials Committee) misguided draft recommendation on reoprocessing of commercial spent fuel at SRS: Draft Rec – Fuel Rod Recycling-1 August 15 2023
SRS Watch statement against the draft recommendation, to be read at committee meeting on August 15, 2023: Comments by SRS Watch on reprocessing draft recommendation SRS CAB Aug 15 2023
The draft recommendation was tabled on August 15 as the authors and backers of it realized flaws in it.
Sample letter to send to Representative Jim Clyburn (South Carolina) against the plutonium pit project at SRS, May 19, 2023 – edit, print & mail!: letter to Rep Clyburn against SRS pit plant May 19 2023
Fact sheet with information about SRS and the proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant, May 19, 2023: SRS pit fact sheet May 19 2023
Fact sheet with information about SRS and the proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant, which is part of US policy to keep on a footing to fight a full-scale nuclear war, December 2023: SRS nuclear war fact sheet Dec 2023
Sentencing on March 8, 2023 of Stephen Byrne, former SCANA official and lead conspirator in failed VC Summer nuclear reactor construction project, from court docket (1-21-cv-1942): “NOTICE OF HEARING as to Stephen Andrew Byrne Sentencing set for 3/8/2023 10:00 AM in Columbia # 2, Matthew J. Perry Court House, 901 Richland St, Columbia before Honorable Mary Geiger Lewis. Counsel are advised by the Court that any motions for variance and/or for downward departure or any other motion to be considered at sentencing are expected to be filed at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled hearing.(mdea ) (Entered: 02/22/2023)”
“Downward variance” filed on March 5, 2023 by lawyers for former SCANA official Stephen Byrne, requesting 15-months prison sentence for admitted felon’s role in failed VC Summer nuclear reactor construction project; a 5-year sentence is maximum sentence available: motion for downward variance for Byrne March 5 2023
SRS Watch news release, July 13, 2020, on Stephen Byrne plea agreement, with link to key court documents, including plea agreement with the federal attorney: https://srswatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SRS-Watch-media-advisory-on-Byrne-nuclear-felony-plea-July-13-2020.pdf
SRS Watch news release, in advance of Byrne sentencing, March 7, 2023: SRS Watch news on Byrne sentencing on March 7 2023
Federal attorney’s “sentencing memorandum” in sentencing of Westinghouse admitted felon, Jeffey Alan Benjamin, September 6, 2024: DOJ sentencing memorandum Benjamin Sept 26 2024
SC Nuclear Advisory Council trip report to VC Summer site, September 2024: NAC VC Summer nuclear reactor construction restart report Sept 2024
Documents pertaining to DOE-German discussions to import spent fuel to be processed and dumped at SRS:
Agreement between the Department of Energy of the United States of America and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany on Cooperation in Energy Research, Science and Technology, and Development, 20th February 1998, Agreement between US and Germany 1998 doc 2
U.S. Department of Energy letter to German Ministry of Education and Research, concerning acceptance and disposition of German spent fuel at the Savannah River Site, March 5, 2012, Letter from DOE to Germany March 5, 2012 Doc_3
Implementing annex between DOE and Germany concerning “acceptance and disposition of graphite fuel elements, October 18, 2012, Implementing Annex Oct 18 2012 Doc_4
“Work for Others“ between SRS and Germany concerning import, processing and disposal of AVR spent fuel storage at FZJ, December 2012, obtained by SRS Watch via a FOIA request and heavily redacted, Work for Others Agreement December 2012 Doc_6_Redacted
“Work for Others” agreement between SRS and JEN, signed February 2022, expires February 28, 2022, 2022-02-21-WFO-13-021 Mod No. 9 received 23 March 2022
Legal analysis for Greenpeace Germany, “Expert Opinion: Shipment and Disposition of Spent Nuclear Fuel from the AVR Jülich Nuclear Reactor to the U.S. Department of Energy Savannah River Site and Non-Compliance under German and European Law,” 3rd December 2014, Greenpeace Germany rechtsgutachten-juelich_engl December 2014
Memo by DOE’s national Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) stating that import of the German spent fuel is not of proliferation concern and can be left in Germany, August 1, 2013, DOE memo on no proliferation risk of AVR spent fuel August 1 2013
NNSA response to SRS Watch FOIA request – NNSA has not prepared any Nuclear Proliferation Impact Assessments on development of the graphite fuel reprocessing technique at SRNL, FOIA_15-00056-H__-__Response no prolif assessment Jan 21 2015
SRS Watch letter to DOE requesting that cooperation between SRS and Germany on graphite spent fuel i mport and reprocessing be terminated, February 20, 2020, DOE has not bothered to respond, letter to DOE terminate SRS JEN agreement Feb 20 2020
End Use Certificate prepared by SRNL, for export from Germany to SRS of irradiated graphite, October 15, 2019, irradiated balls FOIA-response-SRS-JEN-WFO-attachment-2-irradiated-balls-signed-Oct-15-2019
End Use Certificate prepared by SRNL, for export from Germany to SRS of 33 unirradiated graphite balls, October 15, 2019, unirradiated balls FOIA-response-SRS-JEN-attachment-unirradiated-balls-signed-Oct-15-2019
Email from JEN to SRS Watch clarifying that the export option has been terminated, October 19, 2022: Confirmation to Clements from JEN that US options has been terminated Oct 19 2022
Article in Juelich newspaper that CD-Green coalition in NRW will pursue new AVR spent storage facility at Juelich, 9 July 2022: 9 Juli 2022 article no US export
DOE email response about German spent fuel reprocessing proliferation impact assessment – erroneously stated that DOE does not prepare nonproliferation impact assessments (meaning they didn’t prepare such an assessment on the graphite spent fuel reprocessing techniques under development at SRNL, to Tom Clements, SRS Watch, October 30, 2014: DOE proliferation impact assessments October 2014
Oral comment to South Carolina Nuclear Advisory Council, October 24, 2022, about termination of the export plans, see link to archived video of “Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council” meeting October 24, 2022, go to 26 minutes, 10 seconds for comment on SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant delay; public comment on the pit-plant delay by Tom Clements, SRS Watch director, is at 3:4:20 – https://www.scstatehouse.gov/video/archives.php
Bechtel “Project Assessment Report, Feb. 5, 2016, on debilitating problems with VC Summer Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor construction project, covered up for a year until released in 2017 by the governor of South Carolina: Bechtel Report on VC Summer construction 2016
Documents related to WesDyne International LLC, a subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and it’s production of Tritium Producing Burnable Absorder Rods (TPBARs) – to produce radioactive tritium g as used to boost the explosive power of all U.S. nuclear weapons at the Westinghouse nuclear fuel plant in Columbia, SC:
Application for an Amended Certificate of Authority By A Foreign Limited Liability Company To Transact Business in South Carolina (after Westinghouse bankruptcy and takeover by Broofield Business Partners): Sec State doc amended certificate Westinghouse Government Services LLC_DownloadedDocument_8-6-2021-1
Articles of Merger (into WesDyne): Sec State doc Articles of Merger Westinghouse Government Services LLC_DownloadedDocument_8-6-2021-2-1
Application for a Certificate of Authority by a Foreign Limited Liability Company to Transact Business in South Carolina, 2010, concerning WesDyne International LLC: Sec State doc foreign entity Westinghouse Government Services LLC_DownloadedDocument_8-6-2021-3-1
Freedom of Information response emailed from NNSA FOIA officer comment to SRS Watch about WesDyne-NNSA contract, dated May 4, 2021: “Since our last communication, I’ve been working with the program office to address the items laid out in your last email. The attached document [linked below] was provided by the program office and best represents what you are asking for and will assist you in narrowing the scope of your request.” On September 14, 2021, in response to a September 14 inquiry about the status of the request clarifying that more documents were wanted, the FOIA officer said: “You have great timing as I just received a packet from the site office this morning. I have to do a quick review and then get the final response prepared and reviewed by legal and signed by our FOIA Officer. I’m actively working your case and hope to have the final response and packet out to you very soon. My goal is to get it sent by end of next week if not sooner. Your case is my top priority.” Thus, will there be a response by September 24, 2021?
NNSA FOIA officer acknowledgement letter to November 19, 2020 request for NNSA-WesDyne contract, December 8, 2020: Ack Ltr – FOIA 21-00055-DD-1 WesDyne NNSA contract Dec 8 2020
Excerpt of NNSA-WesDyne contract provided to above FOIA request, received May 4, 2021: FOIA response May 4 2021 Excerpt of Section C from Mod 060 – May 2017-1
Email interaction between South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Tom Clements of SRS Watch about WesDyne and Westinghouse Government Services and questions about any DHEC regulation of them, August 2021: DHEC and Clements email interaction on WesDyne and TPBAR fabrication, etc August 2021
SRS Watch comment submitted to NRC on draft EIS on Westinghouse fuel plant 40-year license extension request, September 14, 2021, Comments on draft EIS by Clements of SRS Watch September 14 2021
Westinghouse report: SRS Watch report Westinghouse nuclear weapons connection Nov 16 2021
Overview of work of SRS Watch: Savannah River Site Watch blurb Nov 10 2021
Indictment filed by South Carolina federal attorney in federal court, Columbia, SC, against Westinghouse official Jeffrey Benjamin for 16 felonies in failed VC Summer rector project, August 18, 2021: indictment Benjamin Westinghouse VC Summer Aug 18 2021
Lawsuit filed against NNSA for failure to prepare a Programmatic EIS (PEIS) on plutonium pit production (for nuclear weapons), June 29, 2021 – by South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP), for SRS Watch, Nuclear Watch New Mexico and Tri-Valley CAREs – South Carolina federal court case # 1:21-cv-01942-MGL
Savannah River Site Watch et al v. United States Department of Energy et al
Mary Geiger Lewis, presiding
Date filed: 06/29/2021
| V. |
| Defendant |
| United States Department of Energy |
| Defendant |
| Jennifer Granholm in her official capacity as the Secretary |
| Defendant |
| National Nuclear Security Administration |
| Defendant |
| Charles Verdon in his official capacity as Acting Administrator |
Complaint filed, June 29, 2021: compliant with case number marking June 29 2021
RULE 26 INTERROGATORIES, June 29, 2021: RULE 26 INTERROGATORIES June 29 2021
| 07/01/2021 | 4 | Summons Issued as to United States Department of Energy, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. (cbru, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021) document 4 July 1 2021 Summons Issued as to United States Department of Energy, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. |
| 07/01/2021 | 5 | Summons Issued as to Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. (cbru, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021) document 5 July 1 2021 summons to Sec Granholm |
| 07/01/2021 | 6 | Summons Issued as to National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. (cbru, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021) document 6 July 1 2021 summons issued to NNSA |
| 07/01/2021 | 7 | Summons Issued as to Charles Verdon, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. (cbru, ) (Entered: 07/01/2021) document 7 July 1 2021 summons issued to NNSAs Charles Verndon |
Confmiramtion of service to NNSA by SCELP, June 30, 2021: Affadavit of Service by SCELP to DOE, NNSA July 30 2021
Affidavit of Service – by SCELP to DOE, NNSA, federal attorneys, July 30, 2021: Affadavit of Service by SCELP to DOE, NNSA July 30 2021
“Motion to Dismiss,” filed on Sept. 27, 2021, by Department of Justice, for DOE/NNSA – this is a mess as it makes up a reason for our filing (which did not challenge the congressional mandate on the number of pits to be produced; we only challenged expanded pit production on NEPA grounds – should be rejected by the court, with a notation of the fallacy that DOJ attempted to perpetrate): Motion to Dismiss Sept 27 2021
News release, Oct. 26, 2021: “Groups Fire Back at Feds’ Move to Dismiss Plutonium Pit Lawsuit” –
Federal agencies continue to reject a full review of the public safety and environmental risks of producing nuclear bomb cores across multiple cross-country sites: pitnews10.26.21
SCELP et al response to feds “Motion to Dismiss,” October 25, 2021: Plaintiff’s response to motion to dismiss filed Oct 25 2021
DOJ’s response for DOE/NNSA to our October 25, 2021 filing is due on November 8, 2021
| Date Filed | # | Docket Text |
| 06/27/2022 | 20 | TEXT ORDER: Pending before the Court is Defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim. 13 . In Plaintiff’s response 16 , they request an opportunity to amend their complaint. The request is GRANTED. Therefore, Defendants’ motion is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. Not later than July 11, 2021, Plaintiffs shall file their amended complaint. IT IS SO ORDERED. (Amended Complaint due by 7/11/2022) Signed by Honorable Mary Geiger Lewis on 6/27/2022. (cbru, ) (Entered: 06/27/2022) |
| 07/11/2022 | 21 | AMENDED COMPLAINT against Jennifer Granholm, National Nuclear Security Administration, The, United States Department of Energy, Jill Hruby filed by Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition, The, Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment, Savannah River Site Watch, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Tom Clements. Service due by 10/11/2022 (Lenhardt, Leslie) Modified to edit text on 7/12/2022 (cbru, ). (Entered: 07/11/2022) |
Per the judge’s request of June 26, 2022, an amended complaint was filed Amended complaint filed on July 11, 2022 by SCELP for SRS Watch & co-complaintants: amended complaint plutonium pit PEIS with court marking July 11 2022 – with this marking on the first page: “1:21-cv-01942-MGL Date Filed 07/11/22 Entry Number 21 Page 1 of 59”
Alliance for Auclear Accountability request to DOE for PEIS, December 7, 2018: ANA PU PIT NEPA LTR December 7 2018
Of historical interest: A PROJECT IN DISARRAY: MOX, U.S. Department of Energy’s Mismanaged Plutonium Fuel (MOX) Project: Will the Doom or Gloom Scenario Play Out as the Downward Spiral Continues? by Tom Clements, SRS Watch, February 2017, linked here: Mox_chaos_report_srs_watch_feb._28_2017
Emails between Tom Clements (Savannah River Site Watch, Columbia, SC, https://srswatch.org/) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission about the Centrus High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium Demonstration Project, March 2021: Emails between Tom Clements and NRC on Centrus March 2021
SRS Watch list of “Major Savannah River Site (SRS) Victories by the Public – For a Cleaner, Sustainable Site,” 1970s-2020: Savannah River Site public victories January 2021
Letter to DOE, NNSA from lawyers on ” The continuing need to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement in connection with plans to expand plutonium pit production at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina,” October 23, 2020: Letter to NNSA Regarding the Continuing Need for a Programmatic EIS for Plutonium Pit Expansion Oct 23 2020
Comment by SRS Watch to SRS Citizens Advisory Board, for October 26, 2020 meeting: Request of CAB to Closely Monitor Plutonium Issues at SRS – Large Amount Set to Come in with Risks of Environmental Issues, Possibility of being Stranded (like Plutonium Imported for Bungled MOX Project) DOE, State of South Carolina Agree on Paper to Remove a Total of 9.5 Metric Tons of Plutonium from Savannah River Site – But Total Amount of Plutonium at SRS is Now 11.5 MT and DOE Plans to Bring in ~35 Metric Tons More for Processing for Disposal (via “Dilute & Dispose”) and for Unjustified Fabrication into “Pits” for Nuclear Warheads in Proposed, Unneeded SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant (PBP): SRS Watch comment to SRS CAB October 26 2020
Comment by New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to SRS Citizens Advisory Board, for meeting of October 26, 2020, on regulatory issues concerning downblended plutonium to WIPP: 2020-10-22 – NMED SRS CAB Comments (Final)-1
Comment by NMED to DOE in response to draft EIS on pit production, underscores issues with disposal of pit TRU in WIPP, May 18, 2020: NMED draft SRS EIS comment 2020-05-18-NEPA-EIS-Savannah-River-Plutonium-Pits-Final
Comment by SRS Watch for the Formal NEPA Record before Issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Plutonium Pit Production at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina; Critical Questions Remain Concerning Proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant (PBP), October 12, 2020: comment for EIS record before ROD issued October 12 2020
Filing on October 6, 2020 by US attorney in federal court, Columbia, SC, requesting postponement of sentencing for SCANA felon Stephen Byrne, in VC Summer nuclear reactor construction fraud; federal attorney indicates “additional targets” and that investigation could go on another year; court approved the request on October 6, 2020; filing: Byrne sentencing postponed October 6 2020 request approved by judge Oct 6
Filing by DOE and State of South Carolina with federal appeal court concerning negotiations between the parties on removal of plutonium from South Carolina (Savannah River Site), July 30, 2020, motion requests until August 31, 2020 to reach a deal: motion staying proceedings to Aug 31 case 19-2324 July 30 2020
Agreement by court to motion above, August 4, 2020: motion granted continuing case until August 31 2020 dated August 4 2020
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Presentation by SRS Watch at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Washington, DC on February 28, 2017
A PROJECT IN DISARRAY: MOX — Chronic Funding Problems, Construction Challenges and the Project’s Fate
PPT presentation by Savannah River Site Watch, Columbia, SC, on the “Future of MOX” panel, said by many to be the “most spirited” panel at the summit —- linked here: MOX presentation to Deterrence Summit Clements Feb 28 2017
concluding slide: “Fate of MOX Madness – The Doom or Gloom Option?”
– report by SRS Watch “A Project in Disarray: MOX,” from which the powerpoint presentation was taken – linked here – the report includes information on the NNSA’s devastating “award fee” determination – linked here
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SRS Energy Park, 2010 – a whacky idea that never got off the ground: srsenergypark_9.28.2010
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Comments by SRS Watch on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Scoping Related to Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement on the Westinghouse Fuel Plant in Richland County, South Carolina – Docket ID NRC–2015-0039 – submitted August 20, 2020
comments linked here: scoping EIS comments by SRS Watch August 20 2020
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Federal Court document: Plea Agreement by Stephen Byrne, charged with fraud in SCE&G nuclear reactor construction debacle, June 8, 2020: Byrne court plea June 8 2020
Federal Court document: Criminal charges against Stephen Byrne, charged with fraud in SCE&G nuclear reactor construction debacle, June 8, 2020: Byrne court charges June 8 2020
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Some Comments on Draft EIS on Proposed SRS Plutonium Bomb Plant – Comment period ended June 2, 2020
Nuclear Watch New Mexico: NukeWatch NM SRS DEIS comments-6-2-20
Southwest Research and Information Center (SRIC): SRIC SRS DEIS comments 060220 plus attachments June 2 2020
South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club: Sierra Club on pit draft EIS May 29, 2020
League of Women Voters of South Carolina: LWV draft EIS comment May 25 2020 Pits EIS for DOE
Group comment by public interest organizations, including arms control NGOs: NGO group comment Draft SRS Pit Production EIS, June 2 2020
Comment by Dr. Frank von Hippel, noted non-proliferation expert and Senior Research Physicist and
Professor of Public and International Affairs emeritus, Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University: FvH Comment on draft DOE EIS-0541 for proposed SRS pit-production facility 19May2020
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SRS Watch fact sheet on pit production risks, May 2020: SRS Watch bullet points on pits at SRS May 2020
Comments by SRS Watch on draft EIS on Proposed Plutonium Bomb Plant (PBP), June 1, 2020:
Comments draft EIS Plutonium Bomb Plant by Clements June 1 2020
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H-Canyon documents of interest – H-Canyon process diagram – linked here
Safety analysis on H-Canyon operations, 1986 – linked here
Dissolution of Material and Test reactor Fuel in an H-Canyon Dissolver, SRNL, Jan. 2017 – linked here
Demonstration of Chemical Decladding and Disposition Options for Non-Al Clad Fuels in H-Canyon, LDRD report, 2018 – linked here
BRINGING IT TO FORM A THEMATIC STUDY OF SAVANNAH RIVER SITES’S SEPARATIONS PROCESSES, F AND H AREAS,
Aiken and Barnwell Counties, South Carolina, July 2013 – linked here
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS DISPOSITION PATHWAYS TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL NONPROLIFERATION OBJECTIVES, 2014 –
– linked here
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Annual environmental monitoring report for VC Summer unit 1 nuclear reactor, 2018
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“Assessment Report” by DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of CB&I Areva MOX Services shoddy management of HVAC subcontractor Intermech’s performance and costs at the plutonium fuel (MOX) project, June 26, 2017 – obtained from former MOX worker
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“Problems and Challenges Facing Export of AVR Spent Fuel to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina – Proposal Fails to Meet German Radioactive Emission Standards in the US, including those for Carbon-14, and Must be Terminated” – Comment to Nationale Begleitgremium zur Endlagersuche, 19 February 2019, Jülich – By Tom Clements, Director, Savannah River Site Watch, Columbia, South Carolina USA, 12 February 2019
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Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, final ruling overturning lower court ruling that halted termination of the MOX boondoggle – vacates the lower court ruling and remands the issue back to the district court in Columbia, SC, Jan. 8, 2019
Ruling of January 8, 2019 posted here
Brief “Judgment” of court posted here, Jan. 8, 2019
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United States District Court, District of Nevada “order” of January 2, 2019 (in Case No. 3:18-cv-569) denying US request to “stay of Plaintiff State of Nevada’s motion for preliminary injunction (“PI Motion”)” on unjustified plutonium shipment from SRS to Nevada National Security Site:
State of Nevada filing with U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, seeking court’s blocking of unjustified plutonium shipment from SRS to Nevada, Nov. 30, 2018:
State of South Carolina’s “emergency motion” to intervene in NV federal court on plutonium shipment issue, January 3, 2019:
NNSA’s response to State of Nevada’s request for a “preliminary injunction” to stop plutonium shipment from SRS to Nevada National Security Site, January 4, 2019
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DOE “progress report” on removal of 1 metric ton of plutonium from SRS, December 14, 2018, submitted to federal district court, Columbia, SC
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South Carolina Public(?) Service Commission seating chart for November 1, 2018 hearing – little room for the public!
Note: After being called the “SCE&G Service Commission” in the media, the PSC cut in half the number of seats reserved for SCE&G/Dominion
SRS Satch on formal MOX termination via court ruling, October 12, 2018: SRS Watch on MOX termination letter October 12 2018
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Friends of the Earth request to reopen Environmental Assessment on Westinghouse fuel plant license extension, Columbia, SC, August 14, 2018
Second letter to NRC about decision to reopen Westinghouse fuel plant Environmental Assessment & hold public meeting, September 5, 2018
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Dominion Energy’s Record in Virginia –
A Cautionary Tale for South Carolina Decision Makers
by Glen Besa, Sierra Club Virginia Director-Retired
at South Carolina Statehouse news conference by Friends of the Earth & the Sierra Club
April 17, 2018
Massive Rate Hikes Loomed when SCE&G Nuclear Project Terminated, Thankfully Avoided – January 26, 2018
SCE&G Documents Obtained in “Discovery” Confirm Huge BLRA Rate Hikes Averted with Cancellation of Nuclear Project; Rates Hikes Totaling an Additional 16% of Monthly Bill had been Proposed through 2019, would have Resulted in Nuclear Charge of over 30% of the Bill
anticipated rates in VC Summer project FOE Sierra Club news news Jan 24 2018
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Summer Basics, by SC Electric Cooperatives, summer conference, June 6, 2017
– about cost overruns and problems facing SCE&G/Santee Cooper’s VC Summer nuclear construction project
powerpoint presentation linked here
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Bombs in Our Front Yard: Savannah River Site’s Key Role in US Nuclear Weapons – Tritium and Plutonium & Secret Facility in Columbia, SC Puts the Bang in the Weapons
A Brief, Draft Overview, by SRS Watch
h – June 3, 2017 – Comments Welcome – to be used in association with Hiroshima Day (August 6) and Nagasaki Day (August 9) activities
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Fluor lien against SCE&G, March 23, 2017: linked here
Fluor lien against Georgia Power/Southern Nuclear, March 23, 2017: linked here
y
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Memo to Umweltausschuss des Bundestags by SRS Watch, 6 March 2017
Re: Public opposition to export of AVR (Jülich), THTR (Ahaus) spent fuel to US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS); Return of large volumes of assorted wastes to Germany required if export loophole allowed in German waste law
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SRS Watch draft presentation to “Power to the Peaceful,” Carolina Peace Resource Center (CPRC), February 4, 2017
Challenges at DOE’s Savannah River Site
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“License Amendment Request to Modify Byron Station
Facility Operating License In Support of the
Molybdenum-99 Isotope Production Project”
NRC-Exelon-Westinghouse meeting, December 5, 2016
Exelon presentation linked here
medical isotope waste from the process to go to SRS?
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SCDPS FOIA denial, 2021: SCDPS FOIA response to Clements re Jan 6 S C State House rally Feb 2021-1
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CB&I AREVA MOX Services, response to NRC violations, “Letter from William B. Jones to David Del Vecchio dated July 25, 2016 entitled “Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility – NRC Inspection Report 70- 3098/2016-005 and Apparent Violations,” August 17, 2016:
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DC District Court Agreement Concerning Liquid High-Level Nuclear Waste Shipment Postponement to at least February 17, 2017- from Canada to SRS – and Schedule for Filings, September 20, 2016 – linked here
Court and relevant background documents are linked here:
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/waste-transportation/
Lawsuit filed seeking to block truck shipments of highly radioactive liquid wastes from Canada to South Carolina – August 12, 2016:
COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF, PRELIMINARY AND PERMANENT INJUNCTIONS;
Exhibit A (February 27, 2013 public comment letter, to DOE, Re: Need for New Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Unprecedented Import from Canada to the Savannah River Site of Liquid High-Level Waste Containing Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU); Possible Programmatic EIS Needed if Shipments from Other countries are being Eyed);
Exhibit B(March 2013 Supplement Analysis, by Savannah River Site, Spent Nuclear Fuel Management, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management, Savannah River Operations Office, Aiken, South Carolina; DOE/EIS-0279-SA-01 and DOE/EIS-0218-SA-06);
Exhibit C(Amended Record of Decision (ROD), March 29, 2013, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Spent Nuclear Fuel Management at the Savannah River Site, David Huizenga, Senior Advisor for Environmental Management [FR Doc. 2013–07994 Filed 4–4–13; 8:45 am], Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 76, Friday, April 5, 2013, Notices, pages 20625 to 20628);
Exhibit D (Rep. Higgins letter to Secretary Moniz, July 16, 2014; U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins (D-NY-26), Committee on Homeland Security, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, to Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy);
Exhibit E(AG Schneiderman letter to Secretary Moniz, July 25, 2014; State of New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, letter to Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy);
Exhibit F (DOE/EIS-0218-SA-07, Supplement Analysis for the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Acceptance Program, Highly Enriched Uranium Target Residue Material Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, November 2015).
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US Japan Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, congressional hearings 1987-1988
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Frank Knapp’s justification for signing “settlement agreement” with SCE&G on VC summer nuclear construction project cost overrun, September 1, 2016 – linked here
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SRS Watch powerpoint presentation to
International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM) meeting, March 14, 2016, Washington, DC, before Nuclear Security Summit
“Failure of the Plutonium Disposition Program at the Savannah River Site & Alternatives to MOX”
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Pacific Pintail arrives Charleston, SC, with plutonium cargo, Feb. 17, 2016: SRSW news on Pintail to Charleston Feb 17 2016
SRS Watch report linked here, December 21, 2015:
DOE’S SOUTH CAROLINA PLUTONIUM DILEMMA: PLUTONIUM KEEPS SECRETLY COMING IN BUT NO VIABLE PLAN TO TAKE IT OUT
South Carolina Reviewing Plan by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to Import Plutonium to the Savannah River Site (SRS) at Same Time Governor Nikki Haley Demands Compliance with Law Requi
ring Removal of 1 Metric Ton of Plutonium from SRS by January 1, 2016,
Due to Failure of Problem-plagued Plutonium Fuel (MOX) Program
Under Guise of Nuclear Non-Proliferation to be Promoted at Nuclear Security Summit in Washington in March 2016, DOE Planning to Import 331 Kilograms (730 Pounds) of Plutonium from Japan to SRS in Early 2016 – Bulk of the Plutonium, 236 kilograms (520 pounds), is of U.K.-Origin and Must Not be Brought to SRS as it Will be Stranded with No Disposition Path Out of South Carolina
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Letter to NRC on ownership of CB&I AREVA MOX Services, November 24, 2015
Letter to DOE on ownership of CB&I AREVA MOX Services. November 24, 2015
Is the ownership by AREVA, a French company, in CB&I AREVA MOX Services, 30% or 48%?
is a new analysis under the Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) regulations required?
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Legal analysis: “Shipment and Disposition of Spent Fuel from AVR Jülich…to SRS,”
Greenpeace Germany, December 2014 (in English)
The Legality of the Export of Radioactive Waste of AVR Jülich to the USA –
Legal Opinion on behalf of the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz
Germany, State Association North Rhine-Westphalia e.V. (BUND NRW)
September 2014 (released in English in September 2015)
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TVA letter to SRS Watch, dated May 6, 2015 but received May 14, 2015 – TVA indiacted its consieration of MOX use in on hold until DOE make a decision on plutonium disposition
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NRC letter to SRS Watch, April 1, 2015, entitled “Construction Concern You Raised to the NRC Regarding the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility” – NRC admits it is not doing full inspection of hardware and equipment that may have safety implications
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SRS watch news release on group letter requesting nucler nonproliferation impact assessment on reprocessing technique being devloped for German spent fuel, April 14, 2015
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group letter to DOE requesting “nuclear nonproliferation impact assessment” on new reprocessing technique being developed by Savanah River National Lab on reprocessing of German graphite spent fuel, April 14, 2015
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SRS Watch powerpoint presentation used on tour of Germany in September 2014, clarifying the DOE misrepresentation
to the Germans that SRS is a nuclear spent fuel “disposition” site for German spent fuel; SRS is not such a disposition site
as spent fuel (“high-level nuclear waste”) under US Law (Nuclear Waste Policy Act) must be disposed of in a geologic repository
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NNSA export license application to US NRC to export yet more HEU to Canada’s NRU reactor – March 11, 2015
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US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s feeble explanation of its determination that there was
“good cause” to extend the MOX plant construction license from 2015 to 2015. This was
posted in ADAMS (NRC’s digital library) on February 23, 2015.
SRS Watch comment on public meeting on MOX license extension:
“Is the NRC’s 10-Year License Extension for the MOX Plant Construction a Prelude for More Delays?”
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in 3013 inner container for direct disposal in Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)Certificate of Compliance for the 9975 by Nuclear Regulatory Commission, October 21, 2014Letter from NRC to DOE communicating certification document, October 21, 2014NRC staff “Safety Evaluation Report” on 9975 containerDOE letter to NRC regarding 9975 certification information, April 7, 2014NRC letter to DOE requesting more information on the 9975 container, February 5, 2014—–
Memo by Upstate Forever – conservation group in northern South Carolina – to
Governor Haley (SC) and SC congressional delegation against import
of German spent fuel to SRS, November 11, 2014
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Questions (Kleine Anfrage) posed by Bundestag members on
German nuclear waste dumping at SRS to Federal Ministry of
Education and Research, August 13, 2014Response by Federal Ministry of Education
and Research to Bundestag questions,
September 3, 2014DOE’s preparation of an Environmental
Assessment on the dumping of AVR and THTR spent fuel
at SRS is rendered moot by the response &
the EA must be halted:In response to “Kliene Anfrage” on September 3, the
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
(Federal Ministry of Education and Research) said:
“In der Frühphase der Sondierungen wurde daher
auch erörtert, ob die THTR-brennelemente einbezogen
werden sollen. Diese Überlegungen sind konkret nicht
weiter verfolgt worden.” (From Google Translate:
“In the early phase of soundings was therefore also
discussed whether the THTR-fuel assemblies are to
be included. These considerations have been specifically
not pursued.”)Shaw AREVA MOX Services (SHAMS) admits that construction of
the MOX boondoggle faces mounting delays:”Shaw AREVA MOX Services, LLC (MOX Services) hereby requests that the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) extend the expiration date for Construction Authorization CAMOX-
001 an additional 10 years, from March 30, 2015 to March 30, 2025, in order to bound completion of
construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF). MOX Services makes this request
in accordance with Paragraph 5 of CAMOX-001 Rev 3, which permits the Director of the Office of
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards to, in writing and for good cause shown by MOX Services,
extend the Construction Authorization.”See May 12, 2014 letter to the NRC—–VS – NUR FÜR DIENSTGEBRAUCHTUV NORD EnSys Hannover GmbH & Co. KGGutachten
zum Detailkonzept zur Entfernung der Kernbrennstoffe
aus dem AVR-Behälterlager der
Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Plausibilitätsprüfung
April 2015
erstellt im Auftrag desMinisteriums für Wirtschaft, Energie, Industrie und Handwerkdes Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (MWEIMH)
Gutachten Teil 3
Gutachten Teil 4
Gutachten Teil 6
Gutachten Teil 7
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German Member of the Bundestag (parliament), Ms. Sylvia Kotting-Uhl,
Opposes German spent fuel export to SRS – July 22, 2014:
NONCONFORMANCES FOR V.C. SUMMER UNIT 2 AP1000 PROJECT”
letter from CB&I to US NRC on nonconforming welds on CA20 modules
at SCE&G’s AP1000 nuclear project, August 1, 2014
Group comments on tritium production Supplemental EIS
Nov. 14, 2014
SOLUBLE URANIUM DEFINITION FOR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Roland Benke, Ph.D., CHP (Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses)
Tanya Oxenberg, Ph.D. (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
James Webb (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
2014 Health Physics Society’s Radiation Safety Conference (July 13–17, 2014)
SCE&G request of NRC for reactor cracking repair, February 24, 2014, cracks anticipated to be found in April 2014 refueling outage.