Former Savannah River Site employee Ernie Chaput said the Energy Department knows the site's liquid waste program is a top priority, which is why he was disappointed to see lower funding levels for the fiscal year.
"It's like they've sharpened the pencil and stuck it in our eye," Chaput said Wednesday evening.
Chaput was one of many to attend a meeting on the SRS Tank 16H Closure Module. Following requested approval from S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to close Tank 16H, SCDHEC hosted an information session and comment period at the DOE meeting center.
The agency stated that its objective is to reduce the risk posed by 36 million gallons of hazardous and radioactive waste stored in the SRS tank farms. Mark Mahoney, an administrator with the site's liquid waste contractor, said the closure will include bulk waste removal, heel removal and cleaning, sampling from various agencies, grouting the tanks and stabilization and monitoring.
"Following closure module approval, DOE will proceed with Tank 16H isolation and stabilization activities," Mahoney said.
After commending SCDHEC on its work, Chaput and others noted that the lower funding levels for the waste program are of concern. The program received $547 million, a $139 million drop in funding from what it received last fiscal year.
Chaput suggested that its more important to remove waste than to close the tanks.
"On a bang-for-buck basis, there's more value in removing waste than closing tanks. And that would free money up to help remove additional waste from tanks," he said.
SCDHEC official Shelly Wilson said it is something the agency has thought about, but that other factors have to be considered.
"We are open to that concept but we have to really examine all of the ins and outs and what that would mean for the schedule," she said. "It's something that's very much under evaluation."
An agreement was reached in February to extend the operational closure date of Tank 16H by 27 days, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 27.
In addition to the meeting, a 30-day public comment period for review of the subject Tank 16H Closure Module began March 10 and will conclude April 9. Comments can be submitted in writing to Bridget Clarke, SCDHEC/Water, 2600 Bull St., Columbia, SC 29201-1708 or by email at clarkebm@dhec.sc.gov.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter with the Aiken Standard. He joined the paper in June 2013. He is originally from Vidalia, Ga., and a graduate of Georgia Southern University.