A GENERATION THAT MUST F.L.Y.

Find the Leader in You

Issues on Environmental Justice and the Nuclear Industry
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Youth and Emerging Leaders Summit
National Environmental Justice Conference
Washington, DC
Presented By:
Audria Brooks
Aquila Harris
Rozlyn Humphrey
Courtney Key

WHO ARE WE?

The SHARP Sisters (Sisters Honoring
African Rites of Passage) is a Leadership
Development Program for young ladies
between the ages of 13-21
We are primarily in South Carolina and
Georgia, but we have affiliate chapters in
Alabama, New York, North Carolina and
Washington DC
We focus on leadership development,
community engagement, environmental
justice issues.
We have been in existence since 1997
with more than 300 young ladies initiated
from our program.
We are encouraged and it is expected
that we F.L.Y.

OUR COMMUNITY
We live in communities that border or are impacted by the
Department of Energy Savannah River Site (SRS)
These communities are in the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area)
and are rural counties that are nearest SRS (Georgia Burke,
Columbia, McDuffie, Millen and Richmond; South Carolina Aiken,
Allendale, Barnwell, Edgefield and Hampton)
However, SRS has an impact on all communities along the Savannah
River in both Georgia and South Carolina; from the CSRA down to
Savannah, Georgia
The racial make up 60.81% White, 35.09% African American, 0.32%
Native American, 1.42% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from
other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino
of any race were 2.40% of the population.

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IN OUR COMMUNITY

In Our Backyard
SRS was built in the 1950s as an atomic weapons complex
The site is approximately 300 square miles that is located on
the South Carolina side of the river primarily in Allendale,
Aiken and Barnwell Counties
Plutonium metal and tritium gas were produced for atomic
weapons until the end of the Cold War in 1991
There are many environmental contaminates still left as legacy
waste at SRS
Great efforts have been made in recent years to clean-up
SRS but there are still many concerns that our communities
have.
We recently (Feb. 2014) had an earthquake whose epicenter
was in the community (New Ellenton) that is the community
right outside of the fence line of SRS!

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IN OUR COMMUNITY

In Our Backyard

During several community meetings after the earthquake

and tsunami severely damaged the Fukushima Plant in
Japan, we were told not to worry about earthquakes near
SRS!
In fact, the CSRA is not only impacted by DOE-SRS but,
also, right across the Savannah River from SRS on the
Georgia side is Southern Companys Plant Voegtle, new
reactors authorized by NRC (Nuclear Regulatory
Commission) in 2013
Approximately 70 miles away in Fairfield County SC is the
V. C. Sumner Nuclear Generating Station with a new
reactor also under construction

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IN OUR COMMUNITY

In Our Backyard
HOW HAVE WE BEEN IMPACTED?
POSITIVE:
Excellent Careers
Educational Opportunities
Internships for College Student
School-to-Work Initiative for High School
Student
Major Economic Driver in the CSRA
Superfund Job Training Initiatives
Community Meetings on Environmental Justice
Concerns and Issues at SRS
Major remediation efforts underway

HOW HAVE WE BEEN IMPACTED?

NEGATIVE:
Distrust of the government and what
communities are told
MOX facility delay that has costs millions of
dollars
No clear path for removal of legacy wastes
for long term storage
Fear that SRS will become the dumping
ground for the worlds nuclear waste
Fear that a catastrophic accident might
occur
Health and Safety issues that result in the
communities fear

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IN OUR COMMUNITY

In Our Backyard
OPPORTUNITIES

Long-term nuclear workforce demand is growing in the region

Nearly 10,000 new workers will be needed in the next decade to
support existing operations and growth in the regions nuclear
industry. Retirement and new industry growth prompts this need
Nuclear Workforce Initiative mission:
Promote nuclear career paths and enhance science, technology,
engineering and mathematic (STEM) programs in coordination
with existing K-12 public education curriculum requirements.
Align and coordinate regional educational and training entity
curricula and certification requirements to specific job skill
needs of nuclear employers.
Perform outreach and form collaborations to achieve regional and
national support to advance the mission of the Nuclear
Workforce Initiative.
(Above information from the SRS Community Reuse Organization)

WHY DO WE WANT YOU TO F.L.Y.?

Youth Leadership: Accountability and Responsibility
Environmental Justice
Climate Change
Viable educational and career opportunities
Accepting the Torch

THANK YOU!
The S.H.A.R.P. Sister
Sisters Honoring African Rites of Passage
You Have Been Counted
Contact Us At:
Post Office Box 1666
Aiken, South Carolina 29802
(803) 642-0057
sharp@theimanigroup.org