nuclear-news

News Release from the State of Washington’s Attorney General’s Office:
“AG SUES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER HANFORD WORKER SAFETY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sep 2 2015

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit today against the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) alleging that hazardous tank vapors at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, pose a serious risk to workers at the site.

“For years, Washington workers have been exposed to noxious fumes and chemical vapors as they clean up the federal government’s nuclear site at Hanford,” Ferguson said. “Enough is enough. The health risks are real, and the state is taking action today to ensure the federal government protects these workers now and in the future.”

The 586-square-mile Hanford nuclear site located on the Columbia River in Eastern Washington was used to produce plutonium for the U.S. nuclear weapons program from 1943 to 1987.