Blog post by Theresa Labriola, Riverkeeper’s Hanford Coordinator—
March 25, 2014. Last week, the Washington State Department of Ecology stood up to the US Department of Energy, and issued an administrative order that requires Energy to begin pumping nuclear waste from a leaking double-shell tank by September 2014. More than a year ago, Energy revealed that a double shell tank, AY-102, was leaking waste into the space between the inner wall and outer shell of the tank. Earlier this month, Energy submitted a plan to begin removing this waste in two years time. But it is unclear whether the outer shell of the tank can withstand the heat and corrosion of the waste inside. Ecology’s order helps protect the public from Energy’s all too familiar wait and see approach to Hanford cleanup.
More on this story from KING 5-TV: http://www.king5.com/home/Inslee-orders-action-Hanford-cleanup-251449531.html
Learn more about the current state of the Hanford site at the State of the Site meetings in April.
