Downsizing US Department of Energy facilities: evaluating alternatives for the region surrounding the Savannah River nuclear weapons site region

Abstract The economic impacts of reduced spending by the US Department of Energy (DOE) are estimated for the period 2000–2035 for the region surrounding the Savannah River Nuclear Weapons Site in South Carolina and for the states of South Carolina and Georgia. The detrimental economic impact, which reaches more than 20% of jobs, and personal income in the multi-county area immediately surrounding the site, can be reduced by on- and off-site investments. The impacts of building an accelerator to produce tritium and to destroy extremely dangerous nuclear wastes, and of investing in the region’s educational system and infrastructure are explored as illustrations. The findings imply a need for considerable thought about what kinds of investments should be made in the region by an interdepartmental group of federal, state and local officials and other local leaders rather than relying solely on the DOE.

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