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AUGUSTA, Ga. () – On Tuesday, North Augusta leaders convened to discuss the proposed revitalization of plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Site.
The primary focus of the gathering was a preliminary environmental impact report that outlines the potential consequences of the project.
Should the proposal advance, the SRS pit facility is set to become the costliest construction project in U.S. history, with the Department of Energy projecting expenses to soar to approximately $30 billion.
Opponents argue that the establishment of this facility could ignite a renewed nuclear arms race and escalate environmental issues, particularly regarding the storage of hazardous waste.
Here are some insights from attendees at the meeting held on May 3, 2026:
“The reason we’re here tonight is several environmental and disarmament groups brought a federal lawsuit to force the government to prepare this programmatic environmental impact study, because they had shirked their responsibility in doing that,” said Tom Clements, director of SRS Watch. “They haven’t analyzed the impacts, including where the transuranic, the plutonium waste would go. So they could produce up to 125 of these plutonium cores a year. What for? It’s for new nuclear weapons. We don’t need all these new nuclear weapons. We don’t need any new nuclear weapons. Plus the environmental risk and the risk of plutonium fire and accident and stuff like that. So it’ll be interesting to hear what people say.”
“I want to express our support for the plutonium pit production mission here at SRS,” said Robbie Bennett, SRS Community Reuse Organization representative. “Let me tell you a little bit why we’re 75 years. Savannah River site has been a cornerstone of this region, not just as a major employer, but as a trusted partner and safety service and progress. There is a silent pride in knowing the role our area plays in national security.”
“We all know the plutonium trigger nuclear bombs have appalling environmental impacts by design,” said Glenn Carroll, a coordinator at Nuclear South Watch. “Nuclear weapons literally threaten the existence of our own planet. The only plan that we know for certain, even has life, and which contains every single thing that we know and every single thing that we don’t know. Therefore, the PEIS must analyze using nuclear weapons that contain the plutonium pits that would be produced. The PEIS must also conclude that no action alternative to quit the pursuit of the pits and dedicate significant, sufficient resources to the mission to clean up and embark on the restoration.”
The draft Environmental Impact Statement is open for public comment.
The target start date for the project is 2035.
Photojournalist credit: Avery Van Dusen