Ecology, EPA will now determine when PFP work at Hanford resumes

The Washington Department of Ecology and the Environmental Protection Agency is now requiring a stop work order remain in place until they determine it is safe for work to resume at the Plutonium Finishing Plant at Hanford.

Alex Smith with the Department of Ecology says a letter was sent to the Department of Energy Tuesday after elevated levels of radiation were detected several times in mid-December.

"Both EPA and Ecology are very concerned that this work be done in a way that is safe. This is such a high hazard set of work that people are doing out there, both in terms of the chemicals that are out there, as well as, the radiological materials," says Smith.

Smith adds they have also required the DOE to send certain logs and records of what actions were taken at the PFP by January 26th.

After sending the e-mail, Smith says Doug Shoop, Manager of U.S. Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office, said they will be including the EPA and Ecology in the process of a plan moving forward. She says he also said work would not continue until they were satisfied.

Smith adds that Tuesday the Department of Energy spoke with the Hanford Advisory Board and plans to convene an expert panel to look at what can be done to improve safety and create a plan on how the work will continue out at the PFP. As for when work will restart at the PFP, Smith says they do not have any timelines in place.