U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made this statement on the MOX program at Savannah River Site.

“The decision to terminate the MOX program is a colossal mistake. There is no viable alternative. 

“From the beginning we have warned the Department of Energy’s dilute and dispose plan in New Mexico is not feasible and simply will not work. It’s yet another half-baked idea from DOE that simply has no chance of success. The MOX program has not been adequately funded by the federal government in years.  

“Stopping a program that is seventy percent complete and replacing it with a new half-baked program that won’t work is yet another example of what is wrong with Washington.  

“I view DOE’s shortsighted decision as the federal government breaking its commitment to South Carolina.”

BACKGROUND:

In 2000 the United States and the Russian Federation each agreed to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons grade plutonium.  This was enough plutonium to make several thousand nuclear warheads. 

The Russian Federation chose to burn their plutonium in a fast reactor to dispose of the surplus material.  The United States chose to use MOX at Savannah River Site. 

Construction of the MOX facility began in 2007.

The Obama Administration first proposed cancelling the program.  The Trump Administration has continued to follow the Obama Administration’s lead in regards to the MOX program.