Tag: hanford

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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?

The Mythical Kingdom Beyond the Sagebrush

I was supposed to write a blog post about vitrification this week; but after writing it, scrapping it, and then re-writing it, several times over—I’ve decided that topic can wait. Vitrifying waste is cool and is an accomplishment worth discussing and celebrating—which is why that will be the next blog post. This week, I want to change course a little bit.

From Reactor to Recluse

The River Corridor, a sprawling 220-square-mile expanse within the US Department of Energy’s  Hanford site just north of Richland, rivals the size of Chicago. Today, this majestic river continues to be a lifeline for thousands of residents in cities and towns downstream from Hanford, propelling modern energy, agriculture, transportation, recreation, and commerce.