High-Level Nuclear Waste is now leaking from 3 massive tanks at Hanford. The deadly radioactive chemical contamination is spreading down to the groundwater that will flow into and contaminate our Columbia River in as few as 20 years. Click to tell Governor Inslee and Ecology Director Watson to take action.

One tank has been leaking since 2013.

In 2021, the US Deparrtment of Energy (USDOE) belatedly reported that another tank (B-109) had been leaking for two years....

In August 2024, USDOE reported a third High Level Nuclear Waste tank is leaking.

Federal and state hazardous waste laws require emptying the liquid waste from a leaking tank as soon as practicable. Working with numerous experts, Heart of America Northwest has documented that the equipment is avaialble to remove the leakable liquids from these tanks now to stop adding more risk every day to the Columbia River and the health of the 3 Tribes with Treaty rights at Hanford.

And still Washington State has not required USDOE to do anything to stop the leaks!

ZERO Action.

Heart of America Northwesthas filed a legal challenge to the deal between Washington State and the US Department of Energy that would allow the tanks to keep leaking for decades. You can help by contributing and using the link to write Governor Inslee and Ecology Director Watson to demand that Washington State requires USDOE to take action - not just do more reports while the tanks leak for years to come.

On April 29, 2021, the US Department of Energy (USDOE) publicly admitted Tank B-109 was leaking. That was more than 2 years after evidence of a massive leak was known.  

Federal and State laws require "immediate" reporting of a leak.

But, no enforcement action has been taken by Washington State.

Federal and state laws require "immediate" action to remove leakable liquids from any leaking hazardous waste tank to stop the leak.

Washington State signed an agreement to let the US Department of Energy continue to let the tank leak for decades!

On August 25, 2022, Washington State Ecology and the US Department of Energy signed an agreement that would let this tank keep leaking for years, possibly decades! Click here to watch KING5's Investigators' news coverage of the deal to let the tank keep leaking.

Your voice is needed to insist that Governor Inslee, Ecology Director Watson and Washington AG Ferguson enforce our environmental laws to protect our Columbia River by ordering the tank to be emptied.

Click here to help fund our legal challenge to the "let it keep leaking deal" made with no public comment and in violation of our environmental laws.

How deadly is the contamination heading to groundwater and our River?

If 100 people were exposed to the soil 60 feet under the tank for 3 months, 50 of the 100 would die of acute radiation sickness. Almost everyone who didn't die quickly would eventually get cancer. So, how can the federal Energy Department, USDOE, say they are just going to let the leak go on?

And, how can Washington State not take legal action to require the tank to be emptied as our environmental laws require?

Every day of inaction spreads the deadly contamination closer to our Columbia River.

And now, the USDOE says they will truck liquid radioactive waste from Hanford's tanks through Spokane.

Oregon's Governor Kotek has strongly objected to trucking liquid wastes through Oregon - pointing out that the wasttes can be treated and solidified before they are sent on the highway. Aftter Oregon obejected, USDOE shifted its plan to send the trucks through Spokane without notifying Spokane officials.

Heart of America Northwest has breifed Spokane's Mayor and Council, who have sent letters joining Oregon in demanding that USDOE do an EIS or not ship liquid wastes, and that Washington State join in requiring this. But, Governor Inslee and Washington Ecology have refused to join Oregon or Spokane in raising concerns over trucking liquid radioactive chemical wastes through Spokane.

It's time for Washington Governor Inslee and Director of Ecology Laura Watson and Washington AG Ferguson to order Hanford officials to empty the tank and protect the Columbia River rather than allowing the High-Level Nuclear Waste tanks to keep leaking into the soil and water. More info from Heart of America NW, "The Public's Voice for Hanford Clean-Up" at www.hanfordcleanup.org.

Today, please click and send your email urging Governor Inslee, Ecology Director Watson to enforce the law and protect the Columbia River by ordering USDOE to empty the waste out of the leaking tank. And, for Governor Inslee and Ecology to take a stand against the risks of trucking liquid radioactive wastes through Spokane. You can cc your US Senators and US House Member. Please personalize the letter with why this is important to you, and use the tool to share this with friends and ask them to join in.