Hanford Nuclear Cleanup Board Meeting in The Dalles

The production of plutonium at Hanford ended in 1989

The first atomic bomb test, "Trinity", was part of the Manhattan Project. The test was conducted in the Jornada del Muerto desert about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Socorro, New Mexico, on July 16, 1945.

(SALEM, Ore.) - For the last 25 years, Hanford has been the site of the world’s largest environmental cleanup program, the result of wastes created during the production of plutonium for America’s nuclear weapons program. Cleanup will continue for at least the next several decades.

"The atomic age began July 16, 1945. The first nuclear device that was detonated was nicknamed “The Gadget.” The first atomic bomb test, known as, Trinity.

"Over the next half century the United States produced 60 thousand nuclear weapons. At the heart of each device: plutonium - difficult to make - even harder to clean up. Most of the nation’s supply of plutonium was produced in reactors in south central Washington state, at a restricted site known as Hanford - a 580 square mile complex along the Columbia River.

"The production of plutonium at Hanford ended in 1989, and the massive task of cleaning up decades of radioactive pollution began," said Bruce Gellerman, radio show host (February 3, 2012).

The Oregon Department of Energy promotes the cleanup of the Hanford nuclear site, and ensures state preparedness to respond to emergencies at energy facilities.

The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board will meet November 27-28 at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, 5000 Discovery Drive, in The Dalles.

The board, which gathers three times a year, provides policy advice to Oregon’s Governor, legislature, and the Department of Energy on a wide range of issues regarding cleanup of the Hanford nuclear site in southeast Washington, just north of Oregon’s border.

At the two-day public meeting, the board will:

• Receive an update from the U.S. Department of Energy-Richland Operations on the demolition progress at the Plutonium Finishing Plant
• Get a briefing on the System 8 Plan, which analyzes various scenarios for the tank waste treatment mission
• Hear a presentation on what goes into making good, durable glass to immobilize Hanford’s tank waste.

The public will have an opportunity to comment to the board each day.

Part of the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board’s mission is to protect the Columbia River and Oregon from possible contamination from the Hanford site.

The board is composed of citizens, a representative of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, a representative of the Governor, state agency representatives, and state legislators. ODOE serves as staff to the board.

A full meeting agenda is on the Oregon Department of Energy’s website: www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities-safety/safety/Pages/Oregon-Hanford-Cleanup-Board.aspx.

To request an interpreter for the hearing impaired or accommodations for persons with disabilities, please contact ODOE at least 72 hours before the meeting at 1-800-221-8035 or fax 503-373-7806. TTY users should call the Oregon Relay Service at 711.

Source: Department of Energy; USA Today; YouTube (Atomic Age - Trinity Explosion)