Senators urge Energy Secretary Moniz to continue MOX construction

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http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2014-03-07/senators-urge-energy-secretary-moniz-continue-mox-construction?v=1394246615

Senators urge Energy Secretary Moniz to continue MOX construction
By Meg Mirshak
Staff Writer
Friday, March 7, 2014 12:45 PM

Seven U.S. senators sent a letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz urging him to continue construction at the Savannah River Site’s mixed-oxide fuel fabrication facility until more is known about costs for alternative plutonium disposition methods.

Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, both South Carolina Republicans, and Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both Georgia Republicans, were among the group that signed the letter Thursday. Other signatures came from Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Kay Hagan, D-N.C.

In its fiscal year 2015 budget Tuesday, the White House proposed $221 million to place the MOX facility on standby while assessing more cost-effective methods. The National Nuclear Security Administration began the process to shut down the construction site and protect and secure what has been completed.

Senators signing the letter criticized using fiscal 2014 funding to begin the process of placing the multibillion-dollar facility on “cold standby,” saying that funding was approved for construction only.