Here is what we know: Energy’s proposed 2014 and 2015 budget underfunds Hanford’s critical groundwater treatment program. According to Energy’s own estimates, the groundwater program will receive only half of the funds necessary to reach cleanup milestones. Just six percent of the proposed Hanford budget of $2.2 billion is targeted toward groundwater cleanup. This is stunning given the potential threats groundwater pollution poses to endangered salmon and people who drink water from the Columbia River.
The Last Line of Defense
Energy’s groundwater cleanup program is the last line of defense for the Columbia River. Historically, hundreds of billion gallons of contaminated liquid was dumped directly into the ground at Hanford. More than one million gallons of nuclear waste has leaked from underground storage tanks. This combination of pollutants is percolating into the groundwater. The result, more than 80 square miles of contaminated groundwater flows towards the Columbia River.
Energy will not be able to accomplish more than $300 million worth of projects under the proposed budget allocation. And it is unclear which programs Energy plans to postpone. The successful pump-and-treat groundwater system and funds to drill new wells are grossly underfunded under Energy’s proposal..
Pump-and-treat systems pump contaminated groundwater out of the ground and remove contaminants, specifically chromium. The cleaned water is then injected back into the ground.
While the pump-and-treat plants are scrubbing the groundwater, Energy must continue to drill additional wells to target highly contaminated groundwater plumes. This ensures that more chromium is removed from the groundwater. Without adequate funding, Energy cannot drill the additional wells and instead underutilizes and the oversized treatment system.
Take Action by June 7th
Write a letter or email the Department of Energy (you can use the letter template below). Let them know that you support full funding for the Hanford Groundwater Treatment Program.
U.S. Department of Energy Attn: 2015 Budget P.O. Box 550 A7-75 Richland, WA 99354
Via email: HanfordBudget2015@rl.gov
Letter
Don’t Shortchange Hanford’s Groundwater Cleanup
I am concerned about Hanford’s impact on the long term health of the Columbia River. Hanford’s contaminated groundwater threatens the river ecosystem and the communities and wildlife that depend on a clean river. The groundwater treatment program is the last line of defense for the Columbia River
The Department of Energy’s proposed 2014 and 2015 budget shortchanges Hanford’s critical groundwater treatment program. Energy should prioritize funding the groundwater program, which removes more pollutants such as strontium-90 and chromium from the groundwater, before they reach the Columbia River.
We are relying on the groundwater program to treat not only the existing groundwater pollution, but the nuclear waste that continues to percolate from underground storage tanks into the groundwater.
The groundwater program is needed to keep thousands of pounds of pollution out of the Columbia River. It makes sense to fully fund the groundwater program to defend the river from Hanford’s nuclear legacy.
Sincerely,
[Your Name & Address]
