Japanese Officials Visit Hanford For Nuclear Cleanup Strategies

Anna King — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:57:00 +0000

The people overseeing the cleanup of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster are learning some valuable lessons from the long-running cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. A Japanese government delegation recently toured some of the southeast Washington site.

In Japan, workers in gloves and masks are grinding down sidewalks and roads, wiping down rooftops and bagging contaminated soil.

Some Hanford Water Cleanup Exceeds Expectations

Anna King — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:26:25 +0000

Cleanup of a hazardous chemical called hexavalent chromium in the groundwater at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington is going faster than expected.

Hexavalent chromium is the nasty stuff that made Erin Brockovich famous down in California. The chemical was used to inhibit rust in coolant water in Hanford’s reactors.

Hanford Watchdogs: Sending Tank Waste To New Mexico Won't Work

Anna King — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:05:12 +0000

Inslee: Hanford Tank Waste Removal Will Take Years

Anna King — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:28:56 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – It may take two to four years to even begin clearing radioactive waste from leaking tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. That’s according to Washington Governor Jay Inslee. He toured the southeast Washington nuclear site Wednesday.

Governor Inslee strode around the Hanford site in smooth chestnut-leather cowboy boots. He was tailed by an entourage of two bus-loads of government officials and reporters.

Inslee: Leaking Tank Waste Removal Can't Begin For Years

Anna King — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:29:11 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says it may take two to four years to begin removing liquids from leaking tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The Democratic governor made the comments Wednesday after a tour of the southeast Washington site.

The governor told reporters on the tour that there is no technology that can stop the leaks.

“The bad news is that unfortunately there will be some continuing leakage in these tanks while we’re experiencing this.

Sequester To Result In 4,800 Hanford Layoffs, Furloughs

Anna King — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:44:18 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – As many as 4,800 workers could be furloughed or laid off at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington. It’s the result of the federal spending cuts known as the sequester. Hanford will need to cut $182 million in cleanup work according to a federal letter to Washington Governor Jay Inslee released Tuesday.

The Hanford cuts could begin as early as April 1, but it’s no April Fool’s joke.

Energy Secretary Nominee No Stranger To Hanford Tank Leaks

Anna King — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:49:04 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – President Obama’s nominee for the next federal Energy Secretary is no stranger to the cleanup work at the Northwest’s Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Ernest Moniz was Energy undersecretary during the Clinton Administration and back in the late '90s he faced scrutiny about tank leaks at Hanford.

The problem -- and question then -- was whether about a million gallons of leaked radioactive tank waste had reached the groundwater and was headed toward the Columbia River.

DOE: Hanford Tanks Leaking Less Than 3 Gallons Per Day

Anna King — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:53:50 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – A new detail has emerged on the leaking tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The federal Energy Department acknowledged last week that six single-shelled tanks are holding less radioactive waste than they used to. Monday the agency said those tanks are losing less than three gallons a day.

Worst case: Three gallons per day adds up to 1,095 gallons of radioactive waste per year.

There's Little Space To Pump Out Hanford's Possible Leaking Tank

Anna King — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:40:21 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – A Hanford Nuclear Reservation watchdog says U.S. Energy officials have bigger problems than the waste that has possibly leaking from a tank in southeast Washington. The tank called T-111, is losing about 150 to 300 gallons of liquid waste a year.

Tom Carpenter heads the Seattle-based watchdog group Hanford Challenge.

Possible Leak At Hanford Nuclear Reservation

Anna King — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:03:00 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – A tank full of radioactive waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in southeast Washington may be leaking. Friday the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors say liquid levels in an underground radioactive waste tank are going down.

The single-hulled tank is called T-111. It’s located in central Hanford in a group of tanks called T-farm.