US, South Carolina reach deal on plutonium disposal

The Energy Department on Monday announced that it will give the state of South Carolina $600 million up front to help it remove plutonium as part of a settlement agreement. 

Plutonium, which is used in nuclear weapons, is dangerous when inhaled and can cause lung disease and cancer, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The agreement comes after years of litigation over 9.5 metric tons of plutonium kept at a South Carolina facility. Much of the plutonium will be disposed of at a plant in New Mexico, according to a federal register notice from Friday. 

The Energy Department said in a statement that the settlement will save federal taxpayers $1.5 billion, as it will skirt a requirement for the department to pay up to $100 million a year until all the plutonium is removed starting in January 2022. 

“The Trump Administration is committed to tackling our nation’s toughest challenges where previous Administrations have failed, including the removal and disposal of Cold War era plutonium from the State of South Carolina,” Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said in a statement 

“Today’s announcement is a promise to the people of South Carolina that plutonium will be removed safely from this state, while saving the American taxpayers over $1 billion,” he added. 

Under the settlement, the department will not have to make these payments to the state until 2037, and South Carolina won’t be able to sue the department for the removal until that time. 

After 2037, the department will again be required to pay a percentage of the $100 million per year to South Carolina for both the 2022 through 2037 period and the period after 2037 based on how much plutonium remains in the state.

The Energy Department’s “current timeline” projects that the 9.5 metric tons of plutonium will be removed from the state by 2049.