But until the state gets its own house in order, it should not alter any of the limits placed on nuclear waste disposal in South Carolina.
Three years ago, a law was passed to gradually reduce the amount of waste to be received at the low-level nuclear waste disposal site near Barnwell run by Chem-Nuclear Systems. It is to taper off until 2008, when only South Carolina, Connecticut and New Jersey will be able to use the site.
But Chem-Nuclear did not receive the maximum over the past three years, and now it wants permission to receive the full amount available by 2008.
It says that would mean an extra $19 million for South Carolina, which splits disposal fees with Chem-Nuclear.
But the legislature has a more important matter to settle first.
First, the legislature must restore money it has pilfered from a trust fund designated to pay for the cleanup and closure of the Barnwell site once it reaches capacity.
The fund once had more than $100 million in it. Now it has just under $25 million.
Taking that money for other purposes, as our legislature has done while crowing that it is not raising taxes, is fiscally and morally irresponsible.
Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, has opposed raids on the Barnwell trust fund and others. Legislators now need to say "no" to any additional nuclear waste disposal until the fund is restored.
Meanwhile, The State newspaper reported last week that the Barnwell facility is now taking in larger amounts of the most toxic waste allowed in South Carolina. More of the least contaminated waste -- such as hospital gowns -- is going to a Chem-Nuclear competitor. Barnwell is becoming home to more used nuclear reactors and parts from atomic power plants, The State reported.
It is still low-level waste. But that is a significant growth in the amount of material that can take up to 500 years or more to decay, rather than material that takes about 100 years to decay.
State regulators say the material is packaged well enough to prevent contamination of the surrounding environment.
Still, it is another sign that restoring the trust fund for Barnwell cleanup -- which is being counted on by the public, by Chem-Nuclear and by other states in a legal compact with South Carolina -- is the top legislative priority. That must come ahead of any reconsideration of existing dumping limits.