Cantwell Demands Answers on Hanford Progress, Columbia River Treaty

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, questioned two nominees to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Hanford cleanup and the Columbia River Treaty.

"The Office of Environmental Management accounts for about one-fifth of the department's nearly $30 billion annual budget. The program is especially important to the state of Washington, which is home to the Hanford site, which is the largest, most complex and most expensive of all of the department's cleanup sites," Sen. Cantwell said.

During questioning, Sen. Cantwell pressed Dr. Monica Regalbuto--the administration's nominee to lead DOE's Environmental Management program--for commitments on cleaning up the highly radioactive plume under Hanford's 324 building, a key priority given its proximity to groundwater and the Columbia River. Dr. Regalbuto committed to providing Cantwell additional details on the department's plan to move forward.

Cantwell also pressed for updates on DOE's plan to implement and institutionalize changes needed to respond to worker exposures to tank vapors at Hanford and to reduce injuries by providing lighter protective equipment. Cantwell also asked for a commitment to finish the Environmental Impact Study needed to start construction on the natural gas pipeline that would act as an alternative to diesel, for purposes of powering the site's Waste Treatment Plant.

Meanwhile, Cantwell asked Mr. Jonathan Elkind--nominated to serve as DOE's Assistant Secretary for International Affairs--to focus on moving the administration forward on Columbia River Treaty negotiations. Elkind noted the "clear sense of urgency" associated with the issue and said he would work to "facilitate forward motion" on the treaty, which is "gaining momentum" with DOE's interagency partners.

The Columbia River Treaty between the U.S. and Canada was signed in 1961, and controls the water flows on the Columbia River for flood control and power generation. As of September 2014, either the U.S. or Canada can terminate the Columbia River Treaty or seek changes by providing ten years notice to the other side. Neither party to the treaty has done so. In April 2015, Cantwell joined the 25 other members of the Pacific Northwest Congressional delegation in a letter to President Obama, asking the administration to move forward with a strategy for addressing the treaty.

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