Hanford Blog

Watch MARS in action

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Click on the link to watch a video of the Mobile Arm Retrieval System (MARS), an innovative remotely-operated arm that aims to improve tank waste removal at the Hanford Site.

Photos Available of Senator Murray Press Conference

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

U.S. Sen. Murray held a press conference at HAMMER on Nov. 12, 2009. She highlighted work being completed at Hanford using funds from the Recovery Act.

Aerial Surveying Technique Saves Cleanup Dollars

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

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.

Work on World's Largest Vit Plant Continues

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

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.

Backgrounder on Reporting Hanford Job Creation

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Vit Plant?s Pretreatment Facility Expands Interior Installations

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Moratorium on Shipping Radioactive Waste to Hanford Broadened

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Check out the article in Wednesday's Tri-City Herald.

Important Information Regarding Greater Than Class C (GTCC) Waste Disposal

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Draft Hanford Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement Available for Public Review

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Hanford Update Provided to Pasco-Kennewick Rotary

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Strategy for Cleaning Up Hanford?s Central Plateau

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Photos of archeological excavation near the old Hanford town site.

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos of archeological excavation near the old Hanford town site.

20 Years of Progress in Processing Nuclear Waste

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Office of River Protection Manager Shirley Olinger discussed project progress and accomplishments at the Waste Management & Cleanup Decisionmaker?s Forum in Jacksonville, Florida.

Upgrades at Hanford?s Disposal Facility

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

See photos of new equipment and upgrades at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility during a recent tour by DOE managers.

Briefing on cleanup and Recovery Act in Jacksonville, Florida

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:14:00 GMT

DOE Richland Operations Office Manager Dave Brockman provided this briefing to the Waste Management & Cleanup Decisionmaker?s Forum (Amelia Island) on October 14.

Hanford?s vit plant hit the half-way mark!

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Click the link above to see the story in the Oct. 15 edition of the Tri-City Herald or view the official press release.

Eleven waste transfer lines no longer needed for tank farm retrievals were removed

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Officials Explain Proposed Hanford Settlement

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Article published in the Sunday, October 11th, edition of the Tri-City Herald.

Briefing on Cleanup and Recovery Act

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Bird's-Eye View of K Area Soil Cleanup

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

The Department formally responds to the Government Accountability Office?s latest report on tank waste cleanup at Hanford.

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The Department formally responds to the Government Accountability Office?s latest report on tank waste cleanup at Hanford.

Comment Period for Proposed Consent Decree and Tri-Party Agreement Modifications Begins

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Hanford Workers Resume Cleanup of 200 North Area of the Hanford Site

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Hanford Workers Resume Cleanup of 200 North Area of the Hanford Site

Photos of 200 North area building demolition

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos of 200 North area building demolition

Cleanup of Soil Under K East Basin Begins

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company has begun cleaning up soil underneath the former location of the K East Basin, near the Columbia River.

Helicopter Flights to Survey Contamination

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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

Hanford Cleanup Boosted by Recovery Act

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

This recently issued News Flash by the DOE Office of Environmental Management covers some highlights of DOE-Richland Operations Office projects.

Hanford?s cleanup landfill to be expanded

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Expansion and upgrades are underway at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility at DOE?s Hanford Site using funds from ARRA.

Hanford Nuclear Reactor Basin Gone for Good

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Oregon's 20 Year Report

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Hanford Progress Update

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Photos of Transition to New Mission Support Contractor

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Mission Support Alliance begins operations at Hanford

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Photos Available from Congressman Norm Dicks Hanford Site tour August 19.

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Deputy Energy Secretary Visits Hanford

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Video of Energy Secretary Touring Hanford Site

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Video from Aug. 11 Press Conference on the Tri-Party Agreement Now Available

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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

Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu's Visit

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos from Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu's visit to Hanford on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009.

Recovery Act Jobs Created and Funding Spent

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE Announces Walk-In Registration for Saturday B Reactor Tours

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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

CH2M HILL Expands Groundwater Cleanup Near Columbia River

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE Completes Hanford Site Accident Investigation

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:00:00 GMT

A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) probe into the July 1, 2009 accident that severely injured a Hanford contractor employee.

DOE, Ecology, EPA Announce New Groundwater Treatment System

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Dr. In�s 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

Hanford Site Environmental Report

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Great story on Hanford?s vit plant progress in Wednesday?s Tri-City Herald

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Crews recently installed a major component needed for operations at the Low-Activity Waste Vitrification Facility.

Update on Hiring and Recovery Act Funding

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company ARRA Video

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The CH2MHill Plateau Remediation Company produced a video to give a broad overview of their cleanup work on the Hanford Site using ARRA funding.

Excavating Hanford's K East Basin

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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).

AP story on Hanford?s Waste Treatment Plant

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Tri-City Herald Photo Gallery Features PFP

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE selects Penser North America to administer Workers Compensation Program at Hanford

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Hanford Science and Technology Workshop Briefings Available

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Presentations and additional information from Hanford?s Science and Technology Workshop are now available on the web site for viewing.

Updated Hanford Recovery Act Briefings Available

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Recovery Act Funding Fact Sheet Updated

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Washington Closure Announces Subcontract for 618-10 Characterization

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos of first 100 workers being trained at Hanford under ARRA

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE Issues Notice to Proceed to Mission Support Contractor

Tue, 12 May 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

First 400 Hired with Recovery Act Funding at Hanford

Fri, 08 May 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE Selects Mission Support Alliance, LLC for Mission Support Contract at its Hanford Site

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

DOE Selects Mission Support Alliance, LLC for Mission Support Contract at its Hanford Site

N Reactor Demolition

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos of the N Reactor Demolition

Bats at F Reactor Clearwell

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Photos of Bats at F Reactor Clearwell

New Testing Platform Will Confirm Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Mixing Technologies

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Waste Treatment Plant Receives VPP Merit Status

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

What is the Hanford Blog?

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The Hanford Blog is a new service on www.hanford.gov that provides general news and information on current activities at the Hanford Site.

B Reactor Tours

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The Department of Energy (DOE) has opened online registration for Saturday tours of the historic B Reactor.

Recovery Act Funding at Hanford Fact Sheet

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

This fact sheet describes projects selected for nearly $2 billion in Recovery Act funding for the Hanford Site.

Hanford Disposal Facility Expands

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Information on the 222-S Acquisition

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE Dedicates $2.25M Training Facility

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The Volpentest HAMMER Training and Education Center dedicated its newest classroom building that will be used to train officials in international border-protection programs.

Briefings on fiscal year 2009 funding

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

Briefings on Recovery Act funding

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

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.

DOE press conference regarding Recovery Act funding

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Department of Energy field office managers and representatives of Hanford prime contractors briefed media regarding Recovery Act funding for the Hanford Site.

DOE Solicits Proposals for Workers? Compensation Administration Contract

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:00:00 GMT

The DOE Richland Operations Office is soliciting contract proposals from companies interested in being the ?third party administrator? of Hanford employee workers? compensation claims.

Potential Work Scope for Recovery Funding

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:40:00 GMT

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.

20 Years of Cleanup (Fact Sheet)

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT

This fact sheet lists some of the major accomplishments during the first 20 years of cleanup at Hanford.

Briefing on Cleanup to Washington State Legislature

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Representatives of the two DOE field offices briefed Washington State legislators in Olympia on cleanup progress at the Hanford Site.