In the wake of a recent collapse at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have called for a review of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) environmental remediation and nuclear waste cleanup efforts.
U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) led congressional members from the Pacific Northwest in a letter requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate what steps DOE needs to take to ensure the safety of workers at the site and the public.
“We were alarmed by the recent tunnel collapse at the Hanford site, and are concerned that future events could put the safety of workers, the public and environment at risk,” the letter states. “This event was another harsh reminder of the radioactive and toxic hazards that remain at the Hanford site, as well as the importance of ensuring the site has the resources necessary to expeditiously achieve its cleanup mission.”
Railroad cars full of highly radioactive materials and contaminated equipment were stored inside a tunnel adjacent to the Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant, which is now closed. Workers reported that the tunnel had collapsed on May 9. The collapse did not result in any measurable radioactive material being released into the environment, the letter said.
Walden, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and other members from the Pacific Northwest asked the GAO to explore what methods the DOE used to monitor the tunnel, and how DOE monitors the safety and security of other contaminated equipment.
Lawmakers also asked for a review of how DOE would ensure that contractors don’t expose workers to radioactive or toxic materials, and how much waste at the site still needs to be treated.