Sen. Strom Thurmond and officials from South Carolina met with President Reagan in 1988 to advocate the building of a new reactor at Savannah River Site. Politicians representing the Augusta-Aiken area have been key proponents of the site. SPECIAL

Shepherds of the site

Politicians in Washington go to bat for SRS

Web posted Wednesday, November 22, 2000

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By Josh Gelinas
Staff Writer

In the 50 years Savannah River Site has called Augusta-Aiken home, those who have represented the area's interest in Washington have understood the need to be a booster of the site.

From Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., who has lobbied on behalf of the site since its inception 50 years ago, to relative newcomers such as Rep. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., SRS proponents from the Augusta-Aiken area are a big reason why the facility still exists.

``The site over its 50 years has had a remarkable relationship with its political support,'' said Jim Gaver, director of external affairs for the Department of Energy at SRS. ``In a fiscal environment where federal budgets are being slashed across the boards and there is increasing pressure on every dollar, the SRS delegation fights very hard to acquire enough money to ensure safe and secure operations.''

Area politicians have guided and defended SRS from the 1950s, when the site's production of tritium and plutonium was a matter of national defense, to the big nuclear weapons cutbacks of the 1970s to today's dealing with waste treatment and diversification.

Representing the site means sticking up for constituents, many of whom work at SRS, and ensuring the country maintains the highest level of national defense, delegation members agreed.

Through the years, SRS has seen representatives from Georgia's 10th District and South Carolina's 3rd District work hand in hand for the site's good. Former Rep. Doug Barnard, R-Ga., said he remembers working closely with his former Democratic counterpart from South Carolina, Butler Derrick.

``The significance of nuclear weapons dating back to the 1950s made SRS not only important to this area but also to the entire nation in the order of national defense,'' said Mr. Barnard, a congressman from 1977 to 1993. ``So many of the constituents from my district worked there. Their interests were my interests.''

Mr. Barnard said the site is now in its third phase. ``There was the production of plutonium, there was the cleanup, and now we're seeing a technology transfer,'' he said.

Sen. Fritz Hollings (right), D-S.C., has been a big political backer of SRS, lobbying to acquire enough federal funding to ensure safe and secure operations. RON COCKERILLE/FILE

Mr. Barnard's partner across the river - Mr. Derrick - called representing SRS a ``community affair.''

``I'm old enough to remember when the Savannah River Site came to Aiken,'' Mr. Derrick said. ``It just absolutely transformed that town from sleepy to vibrant.''

Mr. Derrick served in Congress from 1974 to 1994 to better conditions for the site and those who worked there. He still works on its behalf as a member of the secretary of energy's advisory committee.

Mr. Derrick said one of his biggest achievements while in office was helping secure $155 million to start the engineering and defense waste project facility at the site.

``I look at SRS as being a major contributor to the end of the Cold War,'' he added.

Today, Mr. Norwood and Mr. Graham share a similar cross-river bond.

``Charlie and I are a team in Washington,'' Mr. Graham said of the duo's efforts to look out for SRS' best interest.``I would encourage those who follow to work as a team, too.''

Mr. Graham admitted the going hasn't always been easy; he saw the plant lay off thousands of employees from 1994 to 1996 when the need for tritium diminished.

``The real heroes are the Aiken and Augusta communities,'' he said.

The focus of the two legislators is on diversifying SRS to keep it operating in the 21st century. To do that, Mr. Graham said, the plant needs to be a leader in ``safe nuclear waste disposal.''

Among those efforts is the mixed-oxide, or MOX, fuel - to be produced from weapons-grade plutonium.

``We're going to take on a new role in nuclear safety,'' Mr. Graham said. ``As SRS was key to winning the Cold War, now it will be key in reducing the threat resulting from the Cold War.''

If the two congressmen didn't work as a team, the site's budget might still be dropping, Mr. Norwood said, adding, ``If we've got a problem down here, Congress is facing not one but two members.''

A large part of Mr. Norwood's work is driven by his constituents, he added.

``It's got a tremendous economic impact on Georgia's 10th District,'' he said. `` ... It's essential that we do whatever is necessary to maintain strong nuclear deterrents. SRS is key to doing this.''

Mr. Thurmond arguably has done more for SRS than any other politician. His colleagues look at him as the grandfather of the plant.

``The senator continuously helped obtain funding for SRS,'' said Genevieve Erny, press secretary for the senior senator from South Carolina. ``He was an integral part of helping usher the transition of the site from production only to production and cleanup. It is one of his top priorities.''

Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., also has been a big political backer of SRS.

The site and those who run it appreciate the help they receive, Mr. Gaver said.

``They are our champions in Washington,'' he added. ``We don't take for granted that our delegation is going to go to the mat for us.''

Reach Josh Gelinas at (706) 823-3218.

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