Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Energy (DOE) signing the paperwork required before radioactive tank waste can be introduced into the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) facility at the Waste Treatment Plant at the Hanford Site in Washington state—where it will be turned into glass for safe, long-term storage. The Project Management Risk Committee unanimously endorsed moving forward to project completion in July, according to internal DOE records. The only remaining obstacle was sign-off by the Department, which had been expected by the end of August—and finally happened today.
“After unacceptable delays, it’s good that DOE has finally heeded my call to sign the paperwork necessary to move forward with the final step of hot commissioning before treatment of radioactive waste can begin on October 15th.
“Congress has invested billions of dollars, and years of work with the state of Washington, to finally start turning nuclear waste into glass at Hanford for safe, long-term storage—we’re talking about radioactive waste that poses a threat to the Columbia River and the health and safety of thousands of residents in the Tri-Cities.
“Cleaning up Hanford is not something we can afford to cut corners on or get wrong—and I’ll continue to stand up to any attempt by the Trump administration to interfere with the Hanford cleanup.”
As reporting and other sources have made clear, DOE leadership has been interested in axing the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project at the Hanford Site altogether, with Secretary Chris Wright reportedly wanting to go in a “different direction” on the Hanford cleanup. The Waste Treatment Plant at Hanford has been in the works for decades and is the world’s largest and most technically sophisticated radioactive waste treatment plant. The DFLAW facility at the Waste Treatment Plant is fully constructed and slated to complete hot commissioning—the final phase of testing—on October 15th, in compliance with the legally-binding Holistic Agreement.
Senator Murray spoke to Secretary Wright on September 10th, and on that call, Wright admitted that the Trump administration was actively stalling progress at the Waste Treatment Plant—claiming that moving forward was somehow a safety issue, although records did not corroborate his assertion. In response, Senator Murray placed a hold on the nomination of Tim Walsh to be Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management and later that day released a statement emphasizing that Secretary Wright’s comments “were in stark contrast to the positive news we received today that safety reviews and technical tests at one melter at the Waste Treatment Plant have been completed—some of the final steps before the plant can begin turning nuclear waste into glass via completion of hot commissioning by October 15th.”
Later, DOE released a statement in response claiming they are “committed to beginning operations by October 15th” at the DFLAW facility. Senator Murray responded in part, “I need to see real evidence that this administration is moving forward on our decades-long effort to turn nuclear waste into glass at Hanford. I also need an explanation for the conflicting information I have gotten from the Department over the last 48 hours—and I need the Deputy Secretary to sign off on key documents so the completion of hot commissioning at the Waste Treatment Plant can move forward.” Since then, Senator Murray’s staff has consistently followed up with DOE on when they will sign the required paperwork to move forward with the completion of hot commissioning.
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