South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon is questioning Gov. Jim Hodges' plan to use roadblocks to keep plutonium from entering the state.
Mr. Condon said Tuesday that Mr. Hodges' proposal to physically block the Savannah River Site-bound shipments is dangerous and could be illegal.
''Before we get to that point where we openly violate law, we should explore the legal options as well as the political options,'' said Mr. Condon, who termed Mr. Hodges' plan ''the George Wallace strategy.''
In 1963, Alabama Gov. George Wallace stood in a doorway in an attempt to keep black students from enrolling at the University of Alabama.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Hodges said the governor is researching the legality of using roadblocks, and that the plan is considered a last resort.
''It is something that they continue to look into,'' Cortney Owings said. ''The governor is pursuing every avenue available to him.
''Roadblocks and physically stopping these trucks from entering South Carolina are last resorts.''
Mr. Condon, a Republican who has announced he will run for governor next year, and Mr. Hodges, a Democrat, have clashed before on issues facing the state.
Mr. Hodges has pledged to block any shipments of plutonium to SRS until the federal government clarifies its plans for treating the radioactive metal there and eventually removing it from the federal nuclear-weapons site.
The governor has instructed his state's public safety department to hold exercises Aug. 29 near SRS to prepare for a potential blockade.
Mr. Condon reiterated support Tuesday for Mr. Hodges' stand against the shipments, but said a legal challenge might be a better strategy for stopping them.
The state might have a strong case against the U.S. Department of Energy, he said. On the other hand, using roadblocks could expose South Carolina to lawsuits, Mr. Condon said.
''I think the whole idea of stopping these trucks is going to expose the South Carolina treasury to civil lawsuits,'' the attorney general said. ''I don't know how you order state troopers to lawfully stop people who are legally entering the state of South Carolina.''
Mr. Condon also raised concerns about using armed state troopers in an attempt to block the also-armed federal agents who escort the plutonium shipments.
''That's a recipe for violence,'' he said.
Mr. Condon said his requests to discuss the issue with the governor have been rebuffed.
''We need to develop a joint strategy and look at this from a legal standpoint,'' he said.
Ms. Owings said the governor wasn't ready to meet with Mr. Condon.
''The governor believes it's extremely premature to have a meeting with anyone,'' Ms. Owings said. ''Before meeting with anyone, the governor is trying to get feedback from his agencies to find out what other measures besides legal ones are available to him.''
Mr. Hodges did discuss the issue with fellow Democrat, Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes on Tuesday, Ms. Owings said.
But Mr. Barnes won't yet join the fight against the shipments, his spokeswoman said.
''The governor does share Governor Hodges' concerns regarding the plutonium shipments,'' Jocelyn Butler said. ''The governor is still looking into that issue.
''We are not yet to a point where decisions have been made regarding Georgia. But Governor Barnes does admire what Governor Hodges is doing.''
An Energy Department spokesman said Tuesday that the agency hopes the issue can be resolved before shipments begin. The shipments are slated to start in October.
''We think we can get the issue resolved before we ship the material,'' Joe Davis said.
''We hope to have, and we think we have started, some constructive discussions that are thoughtful and that will actually bear fruit on the concerns that the state and the Energy Department have had with each other.''
Reach Brandon Haddock at (706) 823-3409 or bhaddock@augustachronicle.com.
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