Nuclear officials in Kansas City to discuss building more bombs. How to comment
Kansas City area residents have a rare opportunity to share their thoughts about nuclear weapon production to national officials.
The National Nuclear Security Administration has scheduled a public hearing from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Community Center in south Kansas City. The meeting is in-person only, however, residents can read the presentation materials online.
Activists with PeaceWorks Kansas City, Physicians for Social Responsibility Kansas City, among others, planned a rally outside the community center at 4:30 p.m.
Residents are asked to comment on a federal plan for increasing production of plutonium pits, the cores of nuclear weapons, a project that would cost $5 billion a year for the next six years. The federal government says this is needed for “weapons modernization,” while critics say this is unnecessary and would jumpstart a nuclear arms race.
The Nuclear Security Administration plan calls for producing the plutonium pits in New Mexico and South Carolina, however Kansas City has a role in manufacturing the weapons. This is why the listening session will be held in the metro.
Kansas City National Security Campus
The Kansas City National Security Campus, operated by Honeywell, produces over 80% of non-nuclear components for the U.S.’s nuclear bombs, according to the facility’s website. When the facility moved to south Kansas City off Botts Road in 2014, the Kansas City campus had 2,400 employees. Ten years later, 7,000 people worked there, and the facility was expanding.
The production of these non-nuclear components can be harmful to both workers and the environment.
Many employees of the former Bannister Federal Complex received workers compensation after being exposed to toxins and getting sick. The soil and groundwater at the location are still contaminated, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Chanese Forté with the Union of Concerned Scientists wrote, “KCNSC has worked with over 2,400 toxic chemicals since 2016,” including explosives, heavy metals and radioactive substances.
The listening session is one of five across the country required by the settlement of a federal lawsuit, which required the government to produce an environmental impact report and hold public hearings.
How can I share my thoughts on plutonium pit production?
People can contribute their statements on nuclear weapons production at the Tuesday public testimony. PeaceWorks Kansas City shared tips for writing a testimony on its website.
The NNSA is also collecting public comment by email or mail.
Send statements to PITPEIS@NNSA.DOE.gov or this address:
Pit Production PEIS Comments
Jade Fortiner
NNSA, Office of Pit Production Modernization
1000 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20585
