Protect Our Columbia River from Hanford's Leaking High-Level Nuclear Waste Tank

High-Level Nuclear Waste is leaking from a massive tank 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.

Two years have gone by with 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 tank to keep leaking for decades. You can help by contributing and using the link to write Governor Inslee and Ecology Director Watson.

On April 29, 2021, the US Department of Energy (USDOE) publicly admitted the tank 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?

Governor Inslee publicly proclaimed Washington State had a "Zero Tolerance" policy for leaking tanks at Hanford. But, years are going by with ZERO Action to stop the leak and protect our Columbia River!

Heart of America Northwest reviewed records proving that the USDOE knew the tank was leaking in March 2019!

When the leak was announced in 2021, contamination had already moved 60 feet below ground - a quarter of the way to the groundwater that flows into the Columbia River.

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

State and federal hazardous waste laws say that a leaking hazardous waste tank must have the leakable liquid removed immediately or as soon as feasible.

In public meetings, top Hanford officials from the US Department of Energy (USDOE) said they do not plan to empty the tank for many years or do anything to stop the spread of contamination. Washington State has the authority to order the leakable liquids to be emptied from the tank. Instead of acting Washington Ecology signed an agreement - with no public comment - to let the tank just keep leaking for years.

There is a proven method of removing the leakable liquid from the tank and treating this waste that is not only safe, but will also save hundreds of millions of dollars.

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 tank 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. 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.