For Immediate Release:
Thursday, May 4, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C. - Congressman Dan Boren has called on the Secretaries of Defense and Energy to submit a report to Congress outlining remediation plans for depleted uranium stored in Gore, Okla.  Boren offered the provision as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.

 

“This issue has been out there since 1993 and it’s time to do something about it,” Boren said.  “We need to engage the appropriate federal agencies in a dialogue about getting this radioactive material out of our community.”

 

Approximately 1,200 barrels, or 1.5 million pounds, of depleted uranium has been stored at the former Sequoyah Fuels Corporation site in Gore since 1993, when the facility finished government-contract work involving uranium provided by the federal government.  The site was used to convert DU6 to DU4 for use by the U.S. Army in anti-tank ammunition. 

 

“The storage of this uranium is impeding efforts to decontaminate and decommission the facility,” Boren said.  “We need to get to the bottom of the issue and work with all parties involved to find a solution.”

 

Boren’s amendment requires a report be submitted to Congress within six months of enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The full House of Representatives is expected to consider the measure next week.

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