07 LC 25
4926ER
Senate
Resolution 598
By:
Senator Thomas of the 2nd
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Joint Nuclear Plant Vogtle Environmental Justice Issues Study Committee; and
for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Plant Vogtle consists of two nuclear reactors that have been operating since
1987 and 1989 and is located along the Savannah River in Burke County near
Waynesboro, Georgia, approximately 26 miles southeast of Augusta;
and
WHEREAS,
the community surrounding Plant Vogtle is home to an exceptionally high
percentage of both African American and low-income households; and
WHEREAS,
four counties within 40 miles of Plant Vogtle have areas that are persistently
distressed and suffer from unemployment or poverty; and
WHEREAS,
any effect on the community surrounding Plant Vogtle as a whole results in a
disproportionately high impact on both minority and low-income households;
and
WHEREAS,
the federal government requires emergency evacuation procedures for all nuclear
power reactors, and the Hurricane Katrina disaster revealed that low-income and
minority populations are particularly vulnerable in emergency evacuation
situations; and
WHEREAS,
in the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Mixed Oxide Fuel
Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission acknowledged that a significant accident would most likely
disproportionately affect minority or low-income communities due to the
demographics and prevailing wind in the area; Plant Vogtle is adjacent to the
Savannah River Site and, therefore, a significant accident at the site could
have a similar disparate impact on these low-income and minority communities;
and
WHEREAS,
radiological monitoring programs reveal that Savannah River fish, particularly
resident game fish species, are contaminated with cesium 137. Large mouth bass
are contaminated with cesium 137 and are a target species of subsistence
fishermen on the Savannah River. Recreationally important fish species in the
vicinity of Plant Vogtle routinely have been found to have detectable levels of
cesium 137 in the edible flesh of collected samples; and
WHEREAS,
African American and low-income individuals are at specific heightened risk from
hazardous materials in the Savannah River, and although individuals from all
socioeconomic backgrounds engage in fishing in the area, African Americans in
particular commonly engage in subsistence fishing along the Savannah River and
have a higher than average consumption of fish, frequently surpassing allowable
contaminated fish consumption levels.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Joint Nuclear Plant Vogtle Environmental Justice Issues Study
Committee to study the negative impacts on the surrounding community of Plant
Vogtle, with added focus on low-income and minority populations, and recommend
how these impacts can be alleviated. The committee shall be composed of three
members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate and seven
members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the
House. At least half of such total appointed committee members shall be African
American and at least half of such total appointed committee members shall be
located in counties within 100 miles of Plant Vogtle. The President of the
Senate and Speaker of the House shall each designate a member of the committee
as cochairperson of the committee. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings
of the committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, and issues mentioned above or related thereto and recommend
any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it
may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively
its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of
this resolution. The members of the committee shall receive the allowances
provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized.
The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come
from the funds appropriated to the Senate and the House of Representatives. In
the event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with
suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or
before the convening of the 2008 session of the General Assembly, at which time
the committee shall stand abolished.