Hanford Cleanup Program
Over the last twenty years, Columbia Riverkeeper (previously as Columbia River United) has been a leader in ensuring public involvement in the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Site. Columbia Riverkeeper takes cleanup issues to the community in a manner that is easy to understand and empowers public action, resulting in better agency accountability and decision- making.
Protecting the Columbia River: CRK is a strong advocate for a cleanup at Hanford that protects water quality, salmon and Native Americans who continue to depend on the Hanford Reach and Columbia as an important food source. Learn more about CRK's work and how you can get involved at Future Cleanup .
Educating the Public & Elected Officials: CRK works to educate and engage the public in important issues around the cleanup of Hanford. CRK also educates law makers about the importance of funding Hanford cleanup. While significant cleanup remains, CRK is proud to have helped make Hanford the most well-funded cleanup effort in the country by generating strong bi-partisan local and congressional support for the effort.
Having a Seat at the Table: Not only does CRK work to involve the public in the decision-making process but CRK also directly represents the river communities with our seat on the Hanford Advisory Board (HAB). CRK attends all HAB meetings, committee meetings and regular meetings held by the Oregon Office of Energy and the WA State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and provides a critical voice for the Columbia River.
Get Involved!
New Proposals for Cleaning Up Radioactive Waste a Hanford:
Dept. of Energy's Tank Closure& Waste Management EIS
The public comment period is now open on the Department of Energy's (DOE) "Draft Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement" (EIS). The EIS is a critical component of cleanup at Hanford. Located in southeastern Washington along the Columbia River, Hanford's operations once included a plutonium production complex with nine nuclear reactors. Today, we are faced with a nuclear legacy that continues to threaten the Columbia River. Staggering amounts of radioactive and chemical waste are currently stored in 177 underground tanks at Hanford. Many of these tanks are known to have collectively leaked at least a million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste into the ground during operations. Some contaminants have reached the groundwater.
The Tank Closure EIS is a critical roadmap in how the Department of Energy will clean up toxic and radioactive waste that continues to pose a long-term threat to the Columbia River.
Please join Columbia Riverkeeper and our partners across the Northwest in urging the Department of Energy to choose cleanup standards that protect the Columbia River. Federal and state regulators are asking for public input on the EIS, which includes:
- Tank Closure - The EIS examines how DOE will manage approximately 55 million gallons of mixed radioactive and chemically hazardous waste. This waste is currently stored in underground tanks.
- Low Level and Mixed Radioactive Waste - The EIS also deals with DOE's proposals for long-term disposal of low level and mixed radioactive waste at Hanford.
- Decommissioning a Nuclear Test Reactor - DOE is proposing activities to decommission a nuclear test reactor at Hanford.
DOE is accepting public comments on the EIS.
For background information on the EIS visit:
http://www.hanford.gov/orp/?page=146&parent=0
Submit Public Comments by March 19, 2010 to:
Mary Beth Burandt, Document Manager
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of River Protection
P.O. Box 1178, Richland,WA 99352
Fax: 888-785-2865; Email: TC&WMEIS@saic.com
Coming Soon:
Columbia Riverkeeper's guide to commenting on the Tank Closure EIS.
To receive an email notice with CRK's comment guide, please contact: lauren@columbiariverkeeper.org
Upcoming Public Input Opportunities
Tank Closure & Waste Management EIS Public Hearings
Richland, WA
January 26th, 2010
6 to 10 PM
Red Lion Hotel Hanford House
802 George Washignton Way
509-949-7611
Boise, ID
February 2nd, 2010
6 to 10 PM
Owyhee Plaza Hotel
1109 Main Street
208-343-4611
Hood River, OR
February 9th, 2010
6 to 10 PM
Columbia Gorge Hotel
4000 Westcliff Drive
541-386-5566
Portland, OR
February 10th, 2010
6 to 10 PM
Doubletree Hotel, Portland- Lloyd Center
1000 NE Multnomah Street
503-281-6111
Seattle, WA
February 11th, 2010
6 to 10 PM
Seattle Center
305 Harrison Street
206-684-7200
This product was funded through a grant from Washington State Department of Ecology. While these materials were reviewed for grant consistency, this does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the Department.
