Oregon Live published an Associated Press bulletin Friday, February 15th, detailing the U.S. Department of Energy announcement that one of the 177 subterranean tanks at the Hanford nuclear reservation is leaking in Washington State.
Governor Jay Inslee reported the rate of leakage as between 150 to 300 gallons per annum. He expressed concerns that additional tanks may also begin or have already begun to leak as structural integrity is diminishing with age.
The radioactive soup lingers from nuclear arms race era plutonium production. Presently, additional leaks haven't been reported by the agency monitoring wells near the tanks.
Inslee reported that Energy Secretary Steven Chu is adamant that the federal government cannot neglect its responsibility to clean up contamination at the site. The site had a similar issue years ago and the state was told it was resolved.
A nuclear waste treatment facility under construction is billions of dollars over budget and years overdue.
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