Repeated work stoppages at plant; Hanford report; Work stopped 31 times in 9 years; agency urges better monitoring.Byline: The Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. RICHLAND -- Work to clean out nuclear waste from underground tanks and to build a plant to treat the waste at the Hanford nuclear reservation was stopped 31 times over nine years to address safety or construction-quality issues, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a new report. The Government Accountability Office The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress, and thus an agency in the Legislative Branch of the United States Government. report released Monday says more needs to be done to track the costs of the work stoppages. "Depending on what causes a work stoppage and how long it lasts, some stoppages could increase already-substantial cleanup costs," the report said. The federal government created Hanford in the 1940s as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project Manhattan Project, the wartime effort to design and build the first nuclear weapons (atomic bombs). With the discovery of fission in 1939, it became clear to scientists that certain radioactive materials could be used to make a bomb of unprecented power. U.S. to build the atomic bomb atomic bomb or A-bomb, weapon deriving its explosive force from the release of atomic energy through the fission (splitting) of heavy nuclei (see nuclear energy). The first atomic bomb was produced at the Los Alamos, N.Mex. . Today, it is the nation's most contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. nuclear site, with cleanup expected to top $50 billion. The report advised the Department of Energy, which manages Hanford cleanup, to establish criteria for when contractors should track the causes and costs of work stoppages. However, the report says those criteria should recognize the importance of worker and nuclear safety. "Stopping work can be an important first step to dealing with hazardous situations that arise in the course of a cleanup," said Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, one of the representatives who requested the study. Work stoppages can protect the safety of workers dealing with toxic waste toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agriculture, the military, medical facilities, radioactive sources, and , prevent further environmental contamination and save taxpayer money, he said. However, he said, the Energy Department has failed to collect sufficient information to explain work stoppages. "That information would have been instructive in further protecting worker safety and avoid similar stoppages in the future," Inslee said. The Energy Department has agreed to follow the report's recommendation to have its contractors at weapons-cleanup sites, including Hanford, better track information related to stoppages. But agency officials also are concerned such monitoring could send the message that stoppages are to be avoided. CAPTION(S): Rep. Jay Inslee (0401321577) Copyright (c) 2009 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved. |
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