Hanford Challenge

10/13/2026

Hanford grout’s clay-like appearance draws scrutiny

“'(The material) is not solid. It will never turn into a solid,' said Nikolas Peterson, executive director of watchdog Hanford Challenge. 'This is what we should expect all of the shipments to look like.'”

Read the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business article:

Photos of clay-like grouted waste at Hanford have raised questions among watchdogs, but federal officials say the material meets applicable transportation safety requirements.

10/09/2026

⌛️ ⏰ LAST CHANCE! Comment by 11:59pm PT TONIGHT. Sign our petition: https://www.hanfordchallenge.org/public-comments
Submit your comments directly: https://ecology.commentinput.com/?id=aSpjMtBFH

Ask Ecology to reject USDOE's Dual Path Approach permit modification requests and stick to the plan for feeding the Low-Activity Waste vitrification plant with pretreated liquid tank waste. Do not allow USDOE to re-route any of the low-activity waste feed for grouting and disposal offsite.

10/08/2026

JOIN US! We'll be hosting "Poets on Fire: Making Sense of a Radioactive Future" workshop at the Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference next weekend and we hope to see you there! The conference is next Saturday, October 17th from 9am-4pm at Lindbergh High School in Renton, WA.

Register by TOMORROW, Oct 9th to guarantee your lunch: https://nwtsj.org/wp/register/

Conference Program:https://nwtsj.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/19th_Program_final.pdf

10/06/2026

Final public hearing TOMORROW at 5:30pm PT! This is your LAST CHANCE to provide oral comments on the record to Washington Department of Ecology - Hanford. You still have until Oct 27th to submit written comments on the Hanford Sitewide Permit. If you’d like to verbally share your comments, attend the virtual public hearing tomorrow, 10/7 at 5:30pm PT. Join on Zoom or the phone. Public hearing info: https://ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/nuclear-waste/public-involvement/hanford-sitewide-permit

10/05/2026

‼️ Take action today and weigh in on USDOE's latest plan to re-route 1.2 million gallons a year of pretreated tank waste that is bound for glassification at the Low Activity Waste vitrification plant. To the best of our knowledge, the proposal is for rerouted liquid waste to go offsite, be mixed with a gravely, soil-like grout material, and shipped to Utah for disposal.

🛑 We are asking Ecology to reject USDOE's plan.

📢 Take action and sign the petition: https://www.hanfordchallenge.org/public-comments
📄 Read for background on the comment period: https://tinyurl.com/dual-path-reproach

For Washington State Department of Ecology Hanford public comment periods and notices, click here. For U.S. Department of Energy Hanford public comments, notices, and events, click here.

10/02/2026

"Work has begun to empty radioactive and hazardous chemical waste from the 25th leak-prone underground tank at the Hanford nuclear site. It’s expected to be the last start to retrieving waste from one of Hanford’s 149 single-shell tanks for several years.

Once Tank A-103 is emptied of as much waste as possible, DOE will turn its focus from emptying tanks closest to the vitrification plant in the 200 East Area to emptying tanks in the 200 West Area several miles away."

Read the Tri-City Herald article:

Work is being done now to empty radioactive waste from the 25th of 149 leak-prone underground tanks at the Hanford nuclear site.

10/01/2026

What happens when a lot of people, who are not even willing to be in a room together, decide to join a consensus-based advisory board?

Magic.

Read our email honoring the Hanford Advisory Board's 32 years of magic. ✨ https://tinyurl.com/RIP-HAB

09/29/2026

Hearing tomorrow! Don’t miss Washington Department of Ecology - Hanford’s public hearing in Richland on the Hanford Sitewide Permit. Show up to comment on the record. The hearing is free and open to the public.

❓ What: Hanford Sitewide Permit Public Hearing
📍 Where: Richland Public Library - Gallery room | 955 Northgate Dr
🗓️ When: Wed, Sept 30 at 5:30pm
💡 Public hearing info: https://ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/nuclear-waste/public-involvement/hanford-sitewide-permit

09/29/2026

TOMORROW! Check out Washington Department of Ecology - Hanford’s public hearing in Hermiston on the Hanford Sitewide Permit and share your thoughts on the record. The hearing is free and open to the public.

❓ What: Hanford Sitewide Permit Public Hearing
📍 Where: Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center - Mtg Rm 1 | 1705 E Airport Rd, Hermiston, OR
🗓️ When: Tues, Sept 29 at 5:30pm
💡 Public hearing info: https://ecology.wa.gov/waste-toxics/nuclear-waste/public-involvement/hanford-sitewide-permit