Billions of gallons of radioactive and chemical wastes were dumped into the soil and the river during these years, as well as stored in 177 tanks that hold from 1/2 million to a million gallons of high level waste. Sixty seven or so single shelled tanks are leaking into the vadose zone (the layers of earth between the surface of the ground and the ground water table--approximately 210 feet on the average) and into the ground water which will eventually into the Columbia River. There are 149 single shelled tanks and 28 double shelled tanks, all of which will eventually leak unless the waste is removed from the tanks. This is a threat to the site and the drinking water supply of the Tri-Cities as well as to the communities living down-river; Indian communities, farming communities, recreational communities, fishing communities and Portland.

There are many sources of contamination: the leaking K-Basins of irradiated fuel from the production years, liquids released into ponds cribs, trenches and French drains, and solids in pits, burial trenches and landfills.

The tank farms contribute some of the most threatening waste entering the vadose zone and the ground water. Forty-six of the tanks are on the "Wyden Watch List" for their specific problems with high heat, flammable gas or organics. There are many other releases or source points. These releases are moving more rapidly than previously modeled. The public has been told for many years that it would take a thousand years or so for the worst contaminants to reach ground water....as of November of 1997 the Department of Energy (DOE) finally admitted after whistle blowers finally proved their case, that plutonium, the most deadly substance known to (and created by) humankind could reach the river in the next 20 years unless stopped.

Analysis: The tank farms have been in the news periodically since at least 1991 when reports reached the public that there was a possibility of an explosion in some of the tanks because of the high heat and flammability problems. Along with each ensuing report of each new leaking tank the DOE estimate of the volume of the leakage was often grossly underestimated. In research by IEER ( Institute for Energy and Environmental Research) in 1997's Continuing the Cold War Mess, Arjun Makhijani and Marc Fioravante state, "Often the real volume of leaks does not come out in DOE reports in any consistent manner: for example in the SX Tank Reports, one mentions an estimated 10,000 gallon leak and in another report the estimated leak for the same tank is 250,000 gallons."

The vastly increased rate of movement was reported in November 1997's DOE Grand Junction Report: "Plutonium has migrated a surprisingly far distance, contrary to what was previously understood to be representative of its behavior...because plutonium was measured as deep as 100 ft at a significant level relative to its health and safety risks, the previous theories may need to be revised." Due to these findings 3 major documents that have been out for public review in the past 2 or 3 years may need to be revised since they were based on faulty assumptions that could result in poor approaches to cleanup such as sluicing the tanks: the 1996 Tank Waste Remediation System EIS (Environmental Impact Statement), the 1996 draft Hanford Remedial Action EIS and Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

Citizen Activists and the Hanford Advisory Board have pushed in recent years for a Comprehensive Columbia River Impact Assessment and an integration of ground water and vadose zone plans. The DOE has in the past year formed a site wide integration plan but their inclusion of the public has been seemingly grudging and haphazard at best. Interested public members have been notified of meetings at the last minute, no funds have been allotted for public participation, meetings have been scheduled at time as other public interest group meetings.

Solution: The cleanup budget for Hanford has been slashed each year, while the work and risks to public and environmental health and safety have increased through aging structures, rough transitions with changing management and contracting mechanisms, and a wary public and Congress. Citizen involvement is crucial to keeping the DOE and Congress focused on our demand for cleanup and protection of present and future generations. We need to demand safety and the funds necessary to provide that. Not to clean up Hanford will eventually lead to the demise of our environment, our health and the economy of the Northwest.