Get Informed about Hanford

Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement [TPA])
The agreement between the Washington State Department of Ecology, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U. S. Department of Energy that sets the schedule for cleaning up Hanford.

U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), Hanford Nuclear Site
Federal agency that owns the Hanford site and manages cleanup.

Hanford Site Contractors
Private companies contracted by USDOE to perform Hanford cleanup.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Hanford Project Office
Federal regulator of Hanford cleanup. They have delegated Resource Conservation and Recovery Act duties at Hanford to Ecology's Nuclear Waste Program.

Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), Nuclear Waste Program
State regulator for Hanford cleanup.

Hanford Advisory Board
An independent, non-partisan, and broadly representative body whose mission is to provide recommendations and advice about Hanford cleanup to USDOE, EPA, and Ecology.

The Hanford Natural Resource Trustee Council (NRTC)
A collaborative working group chartered to address natural resources impacted by releases of hazardous substances at Hanford.

Stakeholder Links

Columbia Riverkeeper
A non-profit organization that educates the public, hosts public meetings, and offers other opportunities for public involvement in Hanford cleanup.

Hanford Challenge
A non-profit organization that protects whistleblowers, promotes discovery of common ground among traditional opponents, conducts environmental sampling, and generates creative resolutions and collaborative opportunities for improving Hanford cleanup. 

Hanford Communities
An inter-governmental cooperativeof representatives from Benton and Franklin counties, the Port of Benton, and the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The organization provides unified advice to the USDOE about Hanford cleanup issues and promotes public education and involvement.

HanfordLearning.com
A student-organized technical communications project by Washington State University Tri-Cities, created in partnership with the Department of Ecology. Our underlying mission is to provide high school and college students the opportunity to learn more about the Hanford Site, and to create lasting interest and awareness of Hanford among these students.

Hanford Watch
This non-profit organization's mission is to educate the public on Hanford cleanup issues and to increase public participation in the Hanford decision-making process. They manage the Hanford Yahoo! Group email list for discussing issues related to Hanford cleanup. It is open to anyone interested in the subject.

Heart of America Northwest (HOANW)
A non-profit Hanford watchdog group dedicated to cleaning up radioactive pollution at Hanford. Their members and attorneys strive to hold government agencies accountable to the public.

Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE), Nuclear Safety Division
This Oregon State office is responsible for:

• Technical review of Hanford cleanup and assessment of potential impacts on Oregon and the Columbia River
• The safe transport of radioactive material in and through Oregon
• Staffing the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board
• Emergency preparedness for a nuclear accident at Hanford or at Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station nuclear plant
• Informing the public about Hanford issues
• Representing Oregon on the Hanford Natural Resources Trustee Council, which seeks to avoid damage to natural resources during Hanford cleanup.

Washington State Department of Health, Division of Radiation Protection
The state's radiation control agency is made up of seven sections, covering many areas of radiation protection, including:

• Waste Management: Licenses and inspects the U.S. Ecology Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal site, a major waste processor and decontamination facility, and two uranium mines/mills.
• Radioactive Materials: Licenses and inspects facilities where radioactive materials are used. They have authority at all facilities except the Hanford reservation and a few other sites under federal jurisdiction.
• X-ray: Registers and inspects all x-ray machines and accelerators in the state.
• Air Emissions and Defense Wastes: Responsible for licensing and inspecting all sources of radioactive air emissions in the state including the Hanford Site. Any facility using radioactive material falls under their jurisdiction.
• Environmental Radiation: Responsible for assessing levels of radiation in the environment and ensuring the safety of the public. Much of the work involves, but is not limited to the Hanford Site, the Nuclear Power Plant, and the Navy facilities.
• Radiological Emergency Preparedness Section: Directs the Department's response by coordinating all actions taken to protect the public from radiation exposure.

Other Links

DOE Environmental Management Program

Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation

Nuclear Control Institute

Radwaste.org

Spent Fuel Program Database Information

State of Nevada Nuclear Waste Project Office

The Institute for Energy Research & Environmental Information

Hanford Reach National Monument Information