What the FY26 Federal Budget Means for Hanford Site Cleanup
On Friday, May 30th, the White House released the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget Request, along with the Department of Energy’s Budget in Brief. These documents provide the first public insight into how federal funds might be allocated for the Hanford Site in the year ahead. As always, this request marks the beginning, not […]
The $589 Billion Hanford Cleanup and 2086 Deadline Aren’t Sustainable Here’s What Needs to Change
Every few years, we get a new snapshot of where things stand with Hanford cleanup—what’s been done, what’s left to do, how long it’s going to take, and how much it’s going to cost. The latest update is in: the Department of Energy’s 2025 Hanford Lifecycle Scope, Schedule, and Cost Report is out, and well… […]
CERCLA versus RCRA
This interview is part of The Role of the Regulators, an ongoing series presented by Hanford Communities. In this series, we speak with key regulatory agencies involved in the Hanford cleanup. In this installment, we hear from the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Nuclear Waste Program Manager, Stephanie Schleif, about their role in overseeing and […]
EPA’s Role in Hanford: Overcoming Challenges and Celebrating Achievements
As part of our “Role of the Regulators” series, Hanford Communities engaged with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to discuss their regulatory role at the Hanford Site. Here’s what they shared. 1. Please introduce yourself, your current role, and how long you’ve been in your current role. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s role at Hanford […]
Navigating Nuclear Legacy: Insights from Stephanie Schleif on Hanford Site Cleanup and the Role of the Department of Ecology
Introduction and Historical Context 1. Please introduce yourself, your role, and how long you’ve been in your current role. My name is Stephanie Schleif, I am the Nuclear Waste Program Manager for Washington State Department of Ecology. I have been with the program and Ecology for almost 11 years and have been the Program Manager […]
The Tri-Party Agreement: A Framework for Hanford Cleanup
After plutonium production ended at Hanford there was a great deal of uncertainty about the path forward for the Site, including the plan for cleanup. On May 15, 1989, the plan began to take shape when the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington State Department of Ecology came together […]
As ‘Cleanup to Clean Energy’ initiative moves forward, local community’s voice must be heard
Recent congressional hearings highlight community-led vision for the future of post-cleanup Hanford lands, as well as concerns with the Department of Energy’s current approach In the months since the Department of Energy announced the Cleanup to Clean Energy (C2CE) initiative in the summer of 2023, a coalition including Energy Forward Alliance (EFA) and TRIDEC, in […]
Understanding Hanford: How Did We Get Here?
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|-2px||||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Excerpt” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” header_4_font=”||on||||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9leGNlcnB0Iiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiPGg0PiIsImFmdGVyIjoiPC9oND4iLCJ3b3JkcyI6IiIsInJlYWRfbW9yZV9sYWJlbCI6IiJ9fQ==@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] A farmer, seeking refuge from post-World War I turmoil in Germany, settles into a tranquil life on a serene riverfront farm. A government official approaches him with an […]
Winter 2023 / Qtr 4 Recap
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”1px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9leGNlcnB0Iiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiPGgzPiIsImFmdGVyIjoiPC9oMz4iLCJ3b3JkcyI6IiIsInJlYWRfbW9yZV9sYWJlbCI6IiJ9fQ==@[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”] In this issue, we discuss new opportunities for a transition in cleanup, operational successes a long time coming, the loss of two Hanford pioneers, the temporary closure of the […]
From Glow to Glass: The Journey of Hanford’s Radioactive Waste
The signature radioactive blueish / green glow. We’ve all seen it in movies, and if you ever have the opportunity to see it in person, it’s eerily fascinating. But when tank waste is treated using a process called vitrification (turning waste into a glass like substance), does it still glow?