Nov 29 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Sammy Fretwell The State, Columbia, S.C.

Two state senators want to block shipments of Italian nuclear waste through South Carolina -- and they've asked congressional leaders for help.

Democratic Sens. Joel Lourie of Columbia and Vincent Sheheen of Camden wrote the state's congressional delegation Wednesday, saying they are concerned about "this unpredictable and potentially dangerous plan." "The more people find out about this, the more they are going to become outraged," Lourie said.

Their letter asked South Carolina congressional members to join them in opposition to the proposal by Energy Solutions of Utah.

Energy Solutions, which operates low-level atomic waste landfills in Utah and South Carolina, wants to bring in up to 20,000 tons of nuclear waste from Italy for disposal or recycling. The company says it has no plans to dispose of the material in Barnwell County, only in Utah or at an incinerator in Tennessee. Any material that is not suitable for disposal or recycling would be shipped back to Italy, records show.

The ports of Charleston and New Orleans are under consideration to receive the waste.

The Lourie-Sheheen letter said South Carolina has been trying to reduce the flow of the nation's radioactive waste to South Carolina. The state's Barnwell County landfill is scheduled to close to the nation next summer. It would be "irresponsible" to bring Italian waste to the United States because of questions about the level of radioactivity, the letter said.

Attempts to reach Energy Solutions spokesman Greg Hopkins were unsuccessful Wednesday. He told The State newspaper last week the waste would be from decommissioned nuclear plants in Italy. It hasn't been determined whether to ship the material by rail or truck once it reaches the United States, he said.

U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., and a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said they had not received the letter and could not comment. But Spratt said the United States has accepted some high-level nuclear waste from foreign countries in the past to reduce chances the material could be stolen by terrorists for nuclear weapons.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which must approve the import licenses, has had similar requests in the past, but a spokesman said they are not common. A spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford said last week that the governor does not oppose the shipments as long as they are handled safely.