Lindsey Graham: “The money has to be spent on treatment of waste. There is a lot of waste to be treated. But it also allows for a…”

“The money has to be spent on treatment of waste. There is a lot of waste to be treated. But it also allows for a disposal plan agreed to between South Carolina and DOE. Other States, the Senator is right, have been negotiating and trying to find a disposal plan. We have just been successful, that is all. Other States have different needs and tank problems. We don't have tanks leaking as they do in Washington. Washington has different needs and concerns. I don't want to wait 23 years and allow these things to leak as we try to clean up the last inch and a half; I think that does more damage than good. DOE, by order 43.5, I think it is, tried to issue an internal order allowing them to unilaterally go into these States and say: Here are the cleanup standards, take it or leave it. Then you had a court case in Idaho where South Carolina joined as a friend of the court, with an amicus brief, saying, no, we don't want the DOE unilaterally telling a State to take it or leave it.”