Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business: Sen. Murray: DOE claims ‘safety issue’ is holding up vit plant progress

Nikolas Peterson, executive director of the watchdog organization Hanford Challenge, called the current administration’s approach to Hanford cleanup chaotic and deeply troubling in a statement emailed to the Journal. “If there’s a legitimate safety concern at the site, DOE must be transparent immediately. Silence breeds uncertainty, and uncertainty undermines the very foundation that keeps Hanford cleanup on track. The public deserves answers, not ambiguity,” he said.

“This move should come as no surprise as it appears to be just one of many steps that align with the objectives laid out in Project 2025,” Hanford Challenge’s Peterson said. “Curbing the commissioning of the Waste Treatment Plant signals a troubling shift – away from vitrification, away from accountability, and toward a reimagined cleanup strategy that weakens legal safeguards and risks long-term harm to the Columbia River and surrounding communities.”

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