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Department of Energy's Hanford Operation Fined $55K
Release Date: 3/6/2000
Contact Information: Doug Sherwood
[email protected]
(509) 376-9529
March 6, 2000 - - - - - - - - - 00-15
The Northwest regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has assessed stipulated penalties totaling $55,000 against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for violations of the Tri-Party Agreement’s Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements. The violations involved poor waste management practices at the 221-U uranium separation facility (U-Plant), one of five former chemical processing facilities in the 200 Area of Hanford.
In a letter dated March 6, 2000, EPA indicated it is assessing stipulated penalties of $50,000 against DOE for failure to have an approved Waste Control Plan (WCP) prior to the generation of “investigation-derived” waste (IDW) – this includes personal protective gear, sampling equipment, and other wastes created during a CERCLA investigation -- and a one-time penalty of $5,000 for failure to sample the waste before its disposal.
Both penalties address violations of the Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) that was agreed upon under the Tri-Party Agreement.
The waste was discovered September 16, 1999, during a Washington State Department of Ecology inspection of a 90-day waste accumulation area.
EPA is concerned that the violations indicate that DOE had inadequate understanding of what wastes were generated by characterization activities at the former uranium separation facility.
Mike Gearheard, the Director of EPA’s Regional Superfund office, said, “The Tri-Party Agreement is very clear on DOE’s responsibilities to follow careful waste management practices. Continued missteps at one of the country’s most dangerous sites cannot and will not be tolerated.”
EPA continues to investigate waste management at Hanford.
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