Public Comment Period Begins on Proposed Changes to the Hanford Dangerous Waste Permit

Public comment period May 1 - June 30, public meeting May 29

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection is holding a 60-day public comment period to support a Class 3 modification to the Hanford Dangerous Waste Permit. This modification is requesting approval from the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) to add a new operating unit for the Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS). This operating unit will pretreat (remove cesium and filter out solid particles) double-shell tank waste for subsequent vitrification in the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Low-activity Waste (LAW) Facility.

The planned cesium removal system would be deployed in phases. Phase One would employ a Tank-Side Cesium Removal (TSCR) unit. Phase Two would either use a permanent cesium removal capability, LAWPS Facility or an additional TSCR unit to support full operation of the LAW Facility. This proposed modification will cover construction activities and operations needed to support the Phase One portion of the project.

A public meeting will be held May 29, at 5:30 p.m., at the Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland, Washington 99352. If you are unable to attend in person you can participate via webinar https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5820068387111693837, ID# 531-472-235.

Please see the attached summary fact sheet, the Hanford.gov Events Calendar, the Administrative Record and the Public Information Repositories for documentation.

Please submit any comments in writing by June 30 to: 

Washington State Department of Ecology

3100 Port of Benton Boulevard
Richland, WA  99354
or electronically at http://wt.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=J6RbP
 

Questions? Please contact DOE’s Paula Call at paula.call@orp.doe.gov, (509) 376-2048
or Ecology’s Daina McFadden at hanford@ecy.wa.gov, (509) 372-7950.

Fact Sheet