The U.S. Department of Energy has begun vitrifying radioactive waste at the Hanford nuclear site, a major step in a decades-long cleanup that faced numerous delays. The Office of the Attorney General has been instrumental in maintaining pressure on the federal government to meet its obligations, ensuring progress despite missed deadlines.
"This moment would not have been possible without many leaders in Washington state history, both Democrat and Republican, working to ensure the federal government honored its obligations to the people of Washington," Attorney General Nick Brown said. The state's involvement dates back to the 1989 Tri-Party Agreement, initially negotiated by Attorney General Ken Eikenberry and Ecology Director Christine Gregoire, which set the foundation for this ongoing cleanup effort, according to the Office of the Attorney General.
The work at Hanford has had missed deadlines, renegotiations, and over 100 mediation sessions, especially as completing the pre-treatment facility was uncertain. Attorney General Bob Ferguson's team set benchmarks to keep the Department of Energy on track. In September, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray raised concerns about the Trump administration possibly abandoning the process, and the AG's office prepared for legal action. The Department of Energy kept the agreement, and vitrification has begun. The Office of the Attorney General says the effort to clean Hanford’s dangerous waste is a long-term process, with full cleanup expected to continue over the coming decades, serving as a reminder that this beginning is only a single step in a much larger journey of environmental restoration.
