MONIZ, GOV. INSLEE TO MEET TODAY ON HANFORD TANKS

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz is scheduled to meet with Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee this morning in Olympia after the governor demanded more information on the Department of Energy’s plans to get tank waste treated. The governor and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson have asked for a proposal to amend the 2010 consent decree after DOE warned the state it is at risk of missing all remaining milestones for the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant and the milestones to have waste retrieved from the last two tanks in the C Tank Farm. The governor and Ferguson told Moniz and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in a February letter that they expected the federal to proposal to “contain the specificity, detail and comprehensiveness which has thus far not been provided.”

 

Some of DOE’s possible plans are outlined in the Hanford Tank Waste Retrieval, Treatment and Disposition Framework released in September, but despite “concerted efforts,” the state has been unable to get specific details on proposals in the framework, according to the governor.  The governor and state attorney general had asked to be given information by the end of February, but after Inslee met with Moniz at the National Governors Association meeting the last weekend of February Moniz sent a formal letter to the state saying DOE was working to complete a proposal on the consent decree. Moniz said he would travel to Washington state after the administration’s budget request was made to meet with state leaders and discuss key elements of the federal proposal before it is formally delivered to the state.