November 04, 2009
Aerial Surveying Technique Saves Cleanup Dollars
Recent aerial surveying of one of Hanford’s largest waste sites cost an estimated $700,000 less than traditional ground surveying methods, reduced worker risk, and took days instead of months to complete.
November 03, 2009
Work on World's Largest Vit Plant Continues
Construction work continues at Hanford's Waste Treatment Plant, which has reached 77 feet high in places. Read more in today's Tri-City Herald.
October 30, 2009
Backgrounder on Reporting Hanford Job Creation
Recovery Act job creation figures for the Hanford Site that are posted on recovery.gov and
www.hanford.gov/recovery are different. They are counting different things. This backgrounder explains the different ways jobs creation is being tracked and reported.
October 29, 2009
Vit Plant’s Pretreatment Facility Expands Interior Installations
The Pretreatment (PT) Facility at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (Vit Plant) now reaches an impressive 77 feet in places and continues to rise steadily as concrete and steel are installed.
October 28, 2009
Moratorium on Shipping Radioactive Waste to Hanford Broadened
Check out the article in Wednesday's Tri-City Herald.
October 27, 2009
Important Information Regarding Greater Than Class C (GTCC) Waste Disposal
Review clarification regarding the purpose of the public meetings that the Department of Energy and the Washington State Department of Ecology are holding and the potential importation of Greater Than Class C (GTCC) waste to Hanford.
October 26, 2009
Draft Hanford Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement Available for Public Review
DOE announced today the
Draft Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hanford Site has been filed with the Environmental Protection Agency.
October 21, 2009
Hanford Update Provided to Pasco-Kennewick Rotary
Dave Brockman, Manager of the DOE Richland Operations Office, recently briefed the Pasco-Kennewick Rotary Club on Hanford cleanup, including the office’s strategy for cleaning up the site and an update on the Recovery Act.
October 21, 2009
Strategy for Cleaning Up Hanford’s Central Plateau
DOE recently produced a strategy document that is meant to guide ongoing discussions with U.S. EPA, the Washington State Department of Ecology, Tribal Nations, stakeholders, and the general public to define the vision for cleaning up the center of the Hanford Site.
October 21, 2009
Photos of archeological excavation near the old Hanford town site.
Photos of archeological excavation near the old Hanford town site.
October 20, 2009
20 Years of Progress in Processing Nuclear Waste
Office of River Protection Manager Shirley Olinger discussed project progress and accomplishments at the Waste Management & Cleanup Decisionmaker’s Forum in Jacksonville, Florida.
October 16, 2009
Upgrades at Hanford’s Disposal Facility
See photos of new equipment and upgrades at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility during a recent tour by DOE managers.
October 15, 2009
Briefing on cleanup and Recovery Act in Jacksonville, Florida
DOE Richland Operations Office Manager Dave Brockman provided this briefing to the
Waste Management & Cleanup Decisionmaker’s Forum (Amelia Island) on October 14.
October 15, 2009
Hanford’s vit plant hit the half-way mark!
Click the link above to see the story in the Oct. 15 edition of the Tri-City Herald or
view the official press release.
October 14, 2009
Eleven waste transfer lines no longer needed for tank farm retrievals were removed
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has met its commitment to remove eleven waste transfer lines from two Hanford tank farms by Sept. 30.
October 13, 2009
Officials Explain Proposed Hanford Settlement
Article published in the Sunday, October 11th, edition of the Tri-City Herald.
October 08, 2009
Briefing on Cleanup and Recovery Act
DOE Richland Operations Office Manager Dave Brockman briefed the Columbia Basin Chapter of the National Contract Management Association today on Hanford cleanup and Recovery Act funding.
October 08, 2009
Bird's-Eye View of K Area Soil Cleanup
This aerial photo shows heavy machinery
excavating contaminated soil at the former location of the K East Basin. Demolition of buildings surrounding the K East Reactor is visible in the upper-right corner of the photo.
October 02, 2009
The Department formally responds to the Government Accountability Office’s latest report on tank waste cleanup at Hanford.
The Department formally responds to the Government Accountability Office’s latest report on tank waste cleanup at Hanford.
October 01, 2009
Comment Period for Proposed Consent Decree and Tri-Party Agreement Modifications Begins
The comment period for a proposed legal settlement that will impose a revised, enforceable schedule for tank waste cleanup at the Hanford Site began October 1, 2009. The 72-day comment period will end December 11, 2009.
September 30, 2009
Hanford Workers Resume Cleanup of 200 North Area of the Hanford Site
Hanford Workers Resume Cleanup of 200 North Area of the Hanford Site
September 30, 2009
Photos of 200 North area building demolition
Photos of 200 North area building demolition
September 28, 2009
Cleanup of Soil Under K East Basin Begins
Contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company has begun cleaning up soil underneath the former location of the K East Basin, near the Columbia River.
September 25, 2009
Helicopter Flights to Survey Contamination
Workers will be able to start cleaning up a large area in central Hanford months earlier thanks to Recovery Act funding that is paying for aerial surveys of contamination spots.
Video
September 23, 2009
Hanford Cleanup Boosted by Recovery Act
This recently issued
News Flash by the DOE Office of Environmental Management covers some highlights of DOE-Richland Operations Office projects.
September 23, 2009
Hanford’s cleanup landfill to be expanded
Expansion and upgrades are underway at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility at DOE’s Hanford Site using funds from ARRA.
September 10, 2009
Hanford Nuclear Reactor Basin Gone for Good
Workers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site have finished removing a nuclear reactor basin that was once considered a top environmental risk at the government site in Washington State that produced plutonium for national defense programs from the 1940s to the 1980s.
September 08, 2009
Oregon's 20 Year Report
This document was prepared by officials with the Oregon Department of Energy, and chronicles the first twenty years of Hanford cleanup from 1989 to 2009. Oregon DOE interviewed a number of officials who were and are involved with the cleanup mission for the report, which also contains photographs and background information about Hanford.
September 03, 2009
Hanford Progress Update
RL and ORP presented an extensive update on FY09 work and information on the Proposed Settlement Agreement and Consent Decree for the TPA. Follow the link to view these presentations.
August 25, 2009
Photos of Transition to New Mission Support Contractor
The Mission Support Alliance (MSA) assumed responsibility on August 24, 2009 for providing site-wide services to the Department of Energy and its contractors conducting cleanup work after a 90-day transition from previous contractor Fluor Hanford.
August 25, 2009
Mission Support Alliance begins operations at Hanford
The Department of Energy’s mission support contractor began operations Monday, August 24 to provide essential services to the DOE and Hanford contractors to support environmental cleanup efforts.
August 20, 2009
Photos Available from Congressman Norm Dicks Hanford Site tour August 19.
In addition to touring cleanup projects along the Columbia River and on Hanford’s Central Plateau, Congressman Dicks did a full walking tour of the Waste Treatment Plant and stopped at the Volpentest HAMMER Training & Education Center.
August 19, 2009
Deputy Energy Secretary Visits Hanford
Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy, visited the Hanford Site and the Volpentest HAMMER Training & Education Center on August 18, making stops at several environmental cleanup projects.
August 12, 2009
Video of Energy Secretary Touring Hanford Site
Energy Secretary Steven Chu visited the Hanford Site on August 11 and toured the Waste Treatment Plant, B Reactor, and environmental cleanup projects including the K East Basin.
August 12, 2009
Video from Aug. 11 Press Conference on the Tri-Party Agreement Now Available
Video footage from Tuesday’s press conference regarding the new agreement between the DOE and State is now available on the Office of River Protection site.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
August 11, 2009
Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu's Visit
Photos from Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu's visit to Hanford on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009.
August 11, 2009
Recovery Act Jobs Created and Funding Spent
This update from the DOE Office of Environmental Management provides current figures for jobs saved/created using Recovery Act funding at sites across the country engaged in cleanup of the nation’s weapons complex, including Hanford.
August 10, 2009
DOE Announces Walk-In Registration for Saturday B Reactor Tours
The Department of Energy announced today the start of walk-in registration for Saturday B Reactor tours. The Hanford Site B Reactor Tour program will begin taking walk-ins for 12 open seats per bus for the remainder of the tour season
August 06, 2009
CH2M HILL Expands Groundwater Cleanup Near Columbia River
DOE and CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company are expanding treatment systems near the Columbia River as part of a strategy to dramatically increase the amount of groundwater treated each month across the Hanford Site.
August 04, 2009
DOE Completes Hanford Site Accident Investigation
A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) probe into the July 1, 2009 accident that severely injured a Hanford contractor employee.
July 23, 2009
DOE, Ecology, EPA Announce New Groundwater Treatment System
Dr. Inés Triay, DOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, along with representatives of Washington State, U.S. EPA and the AFL-CIO Metal Trades announced today that construction of the largest treatment system for contaminated groundwater
July 16, 2009
Hanford Site Environmental Report
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducts extensive monitoring of the air, soil, water, plants, and animals on and around the Hanford Site, including the Columbia River, and publishes its results in an annual Hanford Site Environmental Report.
July 16, 2009
Great story on Hanford’s vit plant progress in Wednesday’s Tri-City Herald
Crews recently installed a major component needed for operations at the Low-Activity Waste Vitrification Facility.
July 13, 2009
Update on Hiring and Recovery Act Funding
This backgrounder from the DOE Richland Operations provides information on the number of people hired using Recovery Act funding to work on environmental cleanup projects at the Hanford Site.
July 09, 2009
CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company ARRA Video
The CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company produced a video to give a broad overview of their cleanup work on the Hanford Site using ARRA funding.
June 23, 2009
Excavating Hanford's K East Basin
New photos of excavation of K East Basin Contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company is excavating the K East Basin and is down to the floor of the basin itself (about 20 feet below the surface).
June 18, 2009
AP story on Hanford’s Waste Treatment Plant
This Associated Press story ran on a number of national media outlets today, highlighting the work effort at the Office of River Protection and the Waste Treatment Plant. The article sheds light on past challenges and current progress.
June 16, 2009
Tri-City Herald Photo Gallery Features PFP
These photos show a rare look inside the Plutonium Finishing Plant on the Hanford Site. DOE-RL and the CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company provided a visit to Tri-City Herald reporter Annette Cary and photographer Kai-Huei Yau recently.
June 15, 2009
DOE selects Penser North America to administer Workers Compensation Program at Hanford
June 15, 2009
Hanford Science and Technology Workshop Briefings Available
Presentations and additional information from Hanford’s Science and Technology Workshop are now available on the web site for viewing.
June 09, 2009
Updated Hanford Recovery Act Briefings Available
These presentations to the Hanford Advisory Board show updated information on Recovery Act funding provided to the DOE Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office.
June 05, 2009
Recovery Act Funding Fact Sheet Updated
This fact sheet describes projects selected for nearly $2 billion in Recovery Act funding for the Hanford Site. Project information has been updated in this version.
June 05, 2009
Washington Closure Announces Subcontract for 618-10 Characterization
June 03, 2009
Photos of first 100 workers being trained at Hanford under ARRA
The first 100 of the initial 400 workers hired under ARRA have completed formal training at the Volpentest HAMMER training facility for their new jobs at the Hanford Site.
May 12, 2009
DOE Issues Notice to Proceed to Mission Support Contractor
Today, the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office issued a Notice to Proceed to Mission Support Alliance, LLC, and the contractor is now authorized to begin mission support work at the Hanford Site.
May 08, 2009
First 400 Hired with Recovery Act Funding at Hanford
Four hundred employees hired using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding are reporting to work at the Hanford Site and receiving training for their new jobs in environmental cleanup.
April 28, 2009
DOE Selects Mission Support Alliance, LLC for Mission Support Contract at its Hanford Site
DOE Selects Mission Support Alliance, LLC for Mission Support Contract at its Hanford Site
April 23, 2009
N Reactor Demolition
Photos of the N Reactor Demolition
April 23, 2009
Bats at F Reactor Clearwell
Photos of Bats at F Reactor Clearwell
April 23, 2009
New Testing Platform Will Confirm Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Mixing Technologies
The components for a new Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) testing platform are arriving on site. The M3 Mixing Test Platform will be used to confirm the effectiveness of pulse jet mixers (PJMs), an essential waste mixing technology.
April 20, 2009
Waste Treatment Plant Receives VPP Merit Status
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) project the agency’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Merit status for excellence and leadership in safety and health.
April 20, 2009
What is the Hanford Blog?
The Hanford Blog is a new service on www.hanford.gov that provides general news and information on current activities at the Hanford Site.
April 16, 2009
B Reactor Tours
The Department of Energy (DOE) has opened online registration for Saturday tours of the historic B Reactor.
April 13, 2009
Recovery Act Funding at Hanford Fact Sheet
This fact sheet describes projects selected for nearly $2 billion in Recovery Act funding for the Hanford Site.
April 08, 2009
Hanford Disposal Facility Expands
Hanford’s disposal facility for mixed, low-level radioactive waste (the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility) has been expanded to continue receiving contaminated soil and debris from cleanup activities at the Hanford Site.
April 06, 2009
Information on the 222-S Acquisition
The DOE Office of River Protection is asking for proposals from small businesses to provide laboratory analytical services to support operation of Hanford’s large underground waste tanks.
April 06, 2009
DOE Dedicates $2.25M Training Facility
The Volpentest HAMMER Training and Education Center dedicated its newest classroom building that will be used to train officials in international border-protection programs.
April 03, 2009
Briefings on fiscal year 2009 funding
These presentations to the Hanford Advisory Board provide information on fiscal year 2009 (Omnibus) funding provided for the DOE Richland Operations Office and the Office of River Protection.
April 02, 2009
Briefings on Recovery Act funding
These presentations to the Hanford Advisory Board show project-by-project summaries of Recovery Act funding provided to the DOE Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office.
April 01, 2009
DOE press conference regarding Recovery Act funding
Department of Energy field office managers and representatives of Hanford prime contractors briefed media regarding Recovery Act funding for the Hanford Site.
March 26, 2009
DOE Solicits Proposals for Workers’
Compensation Administration Contract
The DOE Richland Operations Office is soliciting contract proposals from companies interested in being the “third party administrator” of Hanford employee workers’ compensation claims.
March 18, 2009
Potential Work Scope for Recovery Funding
Managers of DOE’s Office of River Protection and Richland Operations Office briefed tribes and the Hanford Advisory board on potential projects that could receive additional funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
March 02, 2009
20 Years of Cleanup (Fact Sheet)
This fact sheet lists some of the major accomplishments during the first 20 years of cleanup at Hanford.
February 18, 2009
Briefing on Cleanup to Washington State Legislature
Representatives of the two DOE field offices briefed Washington State legislators in Olympia on cleanup progress at the Hanford Site.
