Cantwell on Historic Hanford Cleanup Milestone

Cantwell on Historic Hanford Cleanup Milestone

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, as the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program (DFLAW) at the Hanford vitrification plant began processing waste after more than two decades of planning and construction, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released this statement:

"After decades of design, engineering, and construction, Hanford workers are finally starting to immobilize millions of gallons of toxic nuclear waste in glass. This is an incredible technical and logistical accomplishment for the Hanford workforce and the Tri-Cities community that has dedicated decades to making the vitrification plant a reality."

The DFLAW program separates and treats low-activity radioactive waste from Hanford's underground tanks. Since about 90 percent of Hanford's 56 million gallons of stored tank waste falls under the low-activity category, DFLAW is crucial for risk reduction and site safety. The plant has been under construction for 23 years and cost approximately $24 billion. The work set to begin today employs around 3,000 people at the site.

Sen. Cantwell has long championed Hanford cleanup and played a leading role in overseeing the United States Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup efforts, fighting numerous Administration proposals to cut Hanford budgets.

Last month, following reports that the DOE was considering a delay of the DFLAW, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor insisting that DOE Secretary Chris Wright keep his commitment to move forward with the plant.

Video of that floor speech is available HERE, transcript HERE.

Sen. Cantwell has repeatedly pushed Wright to uphold the Tri-Party Agreement and commit to cleaning up Hanford nuclear waste under the existing legal framework. Earlier this year, she voted against advancing his confirmation as DOE Secretary as a result of his hesitation.

Video of Sen. Cantwell pressing Wright on whether he'd commit to Hanford cleanup is HERE; video of her announcing her opposition to his nomination as DOE Secretary is HERE.

In July, Sen. Cantwell also pressed Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management nominee Timothy Walsh on prioritizing Hanford cleanup and upholding the Tri-Party Agreement and the Consent Decree milestones.

Throughout the first Trump administration, Sen. Cantwell repeatedly led the charge in opposing drastic cuts to the Hanford budget, and in 2020 she led a successful effort to defeat a provision in the annual National Defense Authorization Act that could have diverted billions in funding from ongoing clean-up projects.

rIn January 2021, at the nomination hearing for former Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Cantwell secured a pledge to fully fund Hanford cleanup from the nominee. Secretary Granholm visited the DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland and the Hanford site with Sen. Cantwell in August 2022 and they discussed the need for increased and sustained funding.