Hanford

Hanford contractor pays $3.45 million to settle fraud allegations

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0500

One of the primary Hanford site contractors has paid millions of dollars to the departments of Justice and Energy as part of a settlement resolving allegations of fraudulently overcharging DOE for labor costs.

DOE proposes cheaper, faster cleanup process for some Hanford waste

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Federal officials are pushing to have more of the hazardous waste at the Hanford site treated by a cheaper and faster method than solidifying it in a glass form at the now operating Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant.

Mid-Columbia lawmakers push to bring nuclear innovation campus to region

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Two state lawmakers serving communities in and near the Tri-Cities are hoping the state will take advantage of the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts to establish sites around the country that support all aspects of the nuclear industry, from fuel production to waste storage.

DOE, nuclear fuel company team up for new mission at Hanford

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0500

A U.S. company that a year ago revealed its plans to potentially make Richland one of its hubs for nuclear fuel production will use a dormant Hanford site facility located southwest of Energy Northwest as part of that effort.

Record $3.2 billion funding approved for Hanford

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0500

Registration open for Hanford site contractor symposium

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Business owners looking for a way to pursue and secure contracts for work at the Hanford site are encouraged to register and attend the 19th annual Bridging Partnerships Small Business Symposium.

Hanford contractor leverages mentor-protege partnerships to drive cleanup

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Hanford contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) will mentor two small businesses as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s efforts grow the number of those entreprises receiving work contracts at the Hanford site.

Hanford Advisory Board seeks new members

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

The Hanford Advisory Board is seeking new members to provide advice to federal and state agencies on the ongoing nuclear cleanup of the Hanford site. The deadline to apply is next week.

First transfer of radioactive capsules complete at Hanford site

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Cleanup efforts at the Hanford site reached another milestone recently when the first batch of toxic byproducts from past plutonium production were moved to safer long-term storage.

U.S. Senate passes funding bills for Hanford, PNNL

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

A three-bill package that will pay for the cleanup at the Hanford site and research activity at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk.

DOE lacks clear cost, timeline estimates for nuclear cleanups

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

A recent federal report found the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) office can’t easily identify how much it will cost or how long it will take to clean up contaminated soil and landfills at 12 of the 15 sites it manages, even though data that could support those efforts is available.

PNNL, Hanford contractors earn millions in incentive pay

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

The Hanford site’s contractors and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s operator received much of their performance incentive payouts after facing uncertainty from a mercurial federal administration throughout 2025.

U.S. House passes bills funding Hanford cleanup, PNNL, dams

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

A three-bill package that would provide funding above 2025 fiscal year levels to the Hanford site and the nation’s national labs, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has passed its first hurdle after receiving bipartisan support from U.S representatives.

Hanford contractors make progress on infrastructure projects

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

The latest expansion of Hanford’s engineered landfill and work on the high-level waste portion of the Waste Treatment Plant are among some of the latest projects to move forward at the Hanford site.

Hanford contractor works to extend life of underground tanks

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Even as Hanford site workers began transforming a small fraction of the millions of gallons of tank waste into a stable glass form this fall, they’ve also begun efforts to extend the life of tanks to support that long-term effort.

Vit plant produces 20 containers of vitrified glass

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

The state-of-the-art facility that began processing toxic waste at the Hanford site in mid-October has reached another milestone.

B Reactor Museum group to host year-end meeting

rachel@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 21:00:00 -0500

The public is invited to the B Reactor Museum Association’s 2025 year in review meeting on Dec. 8. Elections for board and committee positions also will take place at the meeting.

Hanford work continues but it’s unclear for how long

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history continues to roil the nation but work at the Hanford site is continuing for now.

Hanford contractors donate $25.5K to food bank

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

The six primary companies cleaning up the Hanford site came together to donate to the Tri-Cities Food Bank at a time when food assistance nonprofits are struggling to meet demands.

DOE: Hanford vit plant is operational

ty@tcjournal.biz — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 09:27:00 -0400

A facility under construction for decades and costing tens of billions of dollars is at last transforming toxic waste stored in underground tanks at the Hanford site into a glass form for storage.

UPDATE: Vitrification imminent at Hanford site

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:43:34 -0400

Two batches of hazardous waste have been sent to the vitrification plant at Hanford but the process of turning the toxic material into glass form has not yet begun – though it is imminent.

Hundreds of Hanford jobs at risk with government shutdown

ty@tcjournal.biz — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:58:36 -0400

The Hanford site contractor that will operate the facility set to treat tens of millions of toxic waste stored in underground tanks has plans to lay off 733 workers on Oct. 16 if Congress has not reached a deal to fund the federal government.

WA officials: Vit plant has all it needs to start operating

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

One day into a federal government shutdown, state officials announced all necessary permits and approvals from state agencies to operate the Hanford site’s vit plant are complete. They are now waiting on federal officials to start processing waste.

Hanford vit plant clears final hurdle to begin waste processing in October

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of Energy has signed off on allowing radioactive tank waste to be introduced into the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) facility at the Hanford site, according to Sen. Patty Murray.

Stakeholders slam DOE over possible vit plant startup delays

ty@tcjournal.biz — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Gov. Bob Ferguson didn’t mince words during a Sept. 12 press conference in Kennewick: if the Waste Treatment Plant at the Hanford site does not begin treating waste by Oct. 15, the state will pursue legal action to bring the facility online and the state will win.

Sen. Murray: DOE claims ‘safety issue’ is holding up vit plant progress

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The Trump administration’s top official at the U.S. Department of Energy has reportedly told a Washington senator that he is stalling operations at a critical Hanford site facility that is weeks away from beginning operations – though his office says otherwise.

Hanford manager says progress continues despite federal challenges

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Even as potential budget cuts and other shifts at the federal level introduce complications in the Hanford site’s cleanup mission, progress on initiatives is continuing, according to one Hanford site official.

DOE denies reports of changes made to course of Hanford cleanup

ty@tcjournal.biz — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Sept. 9 pushed back against media reports that he is seeking a “different direction” to the environmental cleanup effort at the Hanford site, including halting work on a treatment facility on the cusp of becoming operational.

Remembering a pro-nuclear art movement

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when Seattle-based artists rallied to support the development of nuclear energy at the Hanford site.

Newhouse defends Trump policies but vows to push back when necessary

ty@tcjournal.biz — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:55:28 -0400

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse appeared to walk a fine line when he addressed a packed ballroom Aug. 27 at the Pasco Red Lion while protestors lined the street outside.