U.S. to Remove Plutonium Waste, Pay South Carolina $600 Million

The federal government will pay South Carolina $600 million and clean up weapons-grade plutonium to settle a long-running dispute with the state.

The agreement, announced Monday by Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, calls for the removal of 9.5 metric tons of plutonium and resolves years of litigation over the issue.

Under the terms of the deal, the government will make an up-front $600 million payment to the state, as part of a “financially backed commitment” by the Trump administration to remove the materials, the Energy Department said in a statement. In return, South ...