AIKEN STANDARD CALLS FOR RENEWED FOCUS ON SAVANNAH RIVER TANKS

The federal government should increase its emphasis on Savannah River Site tank waste given the deterioration of Savannah River tanks, according to an editorial in the Aiken Standard yesterday. “It’s been evident for years that the cleanup process at the Savannah River site needs to be sped up. As waste tanks at SRS continue to deteriorate, the threat of a possible catastrophic incident undoubtedly increases,” the editorial states. It adds later, “Although it’s a challenge, SRS needs to use its resources wisely to ensure tanks are properly and swiftly evaluated, repaired and cleaned. One can only imagine the catastrophic results if a nuclear material spill occurred at SRS.” The recent discovery of a new crack in a Savannah River tank has led to calls for increased cleanup funding, though site officials stress that the waste level in the tank is well below the crack and is being monitored.