We're glad to see that this huge step is finally completed! The K East Basin was one of the greatest environmental risks at Hanford, located just 400 yards from the Columbia River and leaking irradiated fuel. Annette Cary, of the Tri-City Herald, reports on the finalization of the project here.
We're also happy to note that it was completed by the TPA deadline of the end of this month. The next step now, is to work on all the contamination underneath. "DOE thinks the soil may be contaminated with plutonium, uranium, cesium, strontium and cobalt, and perhaps PCBs and chromium."
I echo Dave Brockman, manager of the Department of Energy Hanford Richland Operations Office, "It's almost historic the dang thing's gone." Not only that, but they beat this milestone by about 2 months, THAT's good news!
ReplyDeleteAs always, there is still a lot of work to be done, but we always like to hear about progress that is being made!