Cowart is distrustful of the federal government and doesn't think the public knows everything it should about the Savannah River Site.

One thing he's not worried about, though, is possible terrorist activity at the former nuclear weapons complex.

"Nah, shoot no," Cowart said when asked whether he's concerned about living so close to the site, to which more than 12 tons of highly radioactive material recently was shipped from a facility in Colorado. "That don't ever cross my mind."

Many residents in the small, rural towns surrounding SRS feel the same way about their security, but the potential for terrorist attack remains a big concern at the site, said U.S. Department of Energy spokesman Bill Taylor.

Area emergency officials and law enforcement say they have a great working relationship with staff at the site, talking sometimes daily.

"I feel like the security is good," said Aiken County director of emergency services Richard Powell, who has been in the area for 50 years and director for 18. "And I was always fairly comfortable with their ability to handle whatever came up."

Powell received hazardous material training at the site, donning an impermeable, insulated suit with rubber gloves, and he said other emergency workers have received training there.

"I think all of us would have some ties out there, as far as having a neighbor, a friend or a relative who has worked or been involved with the Savannah River Site," Powell said.

"I think that gives us even more confidence."

SRS has long been one the state's biggest employers with a work force of 25,000 during its heyday, down to about 13,400 now.

The reliance on SRS for jobs and the driving force behind the local economy could make it easier for some residents to overlook potential health and security concerns, said University of South Carolina economics professor Don Schunk. "It really does sort of identify that community."

Ask Aiken residents Joel Johnson and Michael Priester about SRS safety and the two get into a 20-minute exchange, as emotions run high.

Priester, 47, said he was worried about his five children growing up near the facility and wouldn't let them work there. "Savannah River Site poses a threat," he said. "South Carolina needs more plutonium like I need three heads."

His buddy Johnson said there's not much residents can do now because SRS has been a mainstay in the area for so long.

"If it's not here, it's going to be somewhere else," he said. "I don't see any threat with it."

Taylor said the facility has a 900-member security team run by private contractor Wackenhut Services Inc.

"We don't have a person guarding every foot of our 310-mile perimeter, but we do have what we feel is appropriate security in the areas where it's needed," he said.

The site might be vulnerable because of thick vegetation that could shield intruders from detection, said Tom Clements of Greenpeace International.

"Any time there is a large stockpile of plutonium accumulated at one spot, a security concern is present," he said. "Security threats can come from offsite or from individuals on staff who have nefarious goals in mind. Insiders can help with attacks or divert or steal material."

The SRS security system, consisting of alarms, high fences, cameras and two helicopters has been tested on at least an annual basis in "war game" situations to find weaknesses, Taylor said.

Some guards carry automatic weapons and stay in top physical condition.

"It's probably not impossible to get on this site undetected, but if you get near the areas where the highest level of security are, then, yes, we expect any intruder is going to be detected," he said.

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