Nuclear River Run-Off

[struggle4progress]

The Columbia River is one of the glories of the Pacific Northwest. It is also home to the sprawling Hanford nuclear site with its 53 million gallons of radioactive waste, some of it leaking from underground tanks.
<snip>

Until recently, the government's plan has been to collect all the dangerous residue and bury it in Nevada. But removing the solid waste is difficult and will cost billions. The Energy Department has a cheaper plan: leave the radioactive sludge where it is.
<snip>

A federal judge has ruled that under present laws the Energy Department's plan is illegal. So the Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a new law declaring that nuclear sludge at the South Carolina nuclear weapons plant is not really so dangerous.

Congress is seriously considering reclassifying the sludge at the South Carolina site as low-level waste. That has alarmed environmentalists, including those in Washington state, who fear the administration will soon want more laws affecting the Washington and Idaho plants.
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http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/US/radioactive_river_040613-2.html

[Massacure]

1. Those assholes!

Side stepping the issue won't solve anything!

[punpirate]

2. If they want to classify it as low-level waste...

... then there's a site in Utah which can accommodate it--EnviroCare is licensed to accept it. If it's not low-level waste, it's supposed to go to Yucca Mountain.

This sounds like a new move to do nothing about nuclear waste sites. Period.

Sounds like the jerks are in charge... again.

[struggle4progress]

4. Yes, it's the old familiar "remediate by reclassifying" gambit.

[sam sarrha]

3. old containers are in danger of exploding at any time......

[NMDemDist2]

5. hubby worked at Bechtel's Hanford site

now he gets "health questionnaires" twice a year.... interesting no?

[struggle4progress]

6. Very interesting! From federal, corporate, or university epidemiologists?

[NMDemDist2]

7. corporate thru the university

strange I thought

[struggle4progress]

8. What corporation and what university?

[NMDemDist2]

9. ahhh jeez... Bechtel pays for the

university to do the data, I am thinking U of Wash, but i'd have to go dig out one of them, not my questionnaire so i don't remember

[struggle4progress]

10. Thanks! Idle curiosity and all that ... eom