| DOE affirms end to river funds The U.S. Energy Department will not budge from its position that funding for Georgia's Savannah River radiation monitoring program was a one-time allocation that is now expired. In a letter to Augusta Mayor Bob Young dated Wednesday, Savannah River Site manager Jeffrey Allison wrote that South Carolina already conducts radiation monitoring in much more detail than Georgia's program. "With such a robust, multifaceted monitoring regime, ongoing Department of Energy support of a redundant sampling program by Georgia Department of Resources is not warranted," he wrote. The Energy Department, which operates SRS in South Carolina, provided $1.8 million to Georgia over the past three years for its monitoring program focused on the Savannah River between Augusta and Savannah. Last month, Georgia's Environmental Protection Division was notified that funding would end Jan. 17, and that the grant was never intended to be an ongoing means of support. Georgia officials, however, say the Energy Department abruptly canceled the allocation, which they believed was to continue indefinitely. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's office and other elected officials - including Mr. Young and Georgia Congressman Max Burns - have asked that the funding be continued, Mr. Young said. "If we could just get it extended through September, to the end of the fiscal year, that would give us nine months to get something worked out," he said. Although South Carolina conducts monitoring for radiation matters, Mr. Young and other Georgia officials say monitoring also is needed on the Georgia side to fully protect the state's interests. Mr. Allison, however, reiterated that the grant was intended to help Georgia authorities create an EPD office in Augusta, where the monitoring program is based. "With the grant having accomplished that, it is time for Georgia Department of Natural Resources to stand on its own, if it is determined to be a priority for Georgia," he wrote. Mr. Young said he will continue to lobby for continuation of the program. "There are people at a higher pay grade that we probably need to have some conversation with, and that's what we intend to do," he said. Reach Robert Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
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