EPA Fines Energy Department $1 Million Over Violations at Hanford Nuclear Site

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

EPA Fines Energy Department $1 Million Over Violations at Hanford Nuclear Site
03-28-2007 5:58 PM

RICHLAND, Wash. (Associated Press) -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday fined the federal Energy Department $1.1 million over violations of an agreement to clean up the Hanford nuclear reservation, the nation's most polluted nuclear site.

The fine involved operations at a landfill that is the primary repository for contaminated soils, debris and other hazardous and radioactive waste from cleanup operations across the site.

After first shutting down operations upon discovery of the failures, the EPA has permitted the landfill to resume operations under strict oversight.

The EPA pointed out problems in a letter to the Energy Department on Tuesday, saying that workers did not perform weekly inspections that would reduce the risk of leaks in landfill liners and that operations did not comply with tests on compacted waste for structural stability.

Read more: http://omaha.cox.net/cci/newsnational/national?_mode=view&_state=maximized&view=article&id=D8O5F6EG1&_action=validatearticle

[Kutjara]

1. So the money goes around in a nice big circle.

The EPA fines the DOE; the money goes to the Treasury; next year, the DOE ask for $1 million more to make up the shortfall in their budget; the money comes back to the DOE.

Actually, the DOE probably won't even notice: a million bucks is rounding error to those guys.

Way to protect our health and the environment. Go EPA!

[OKthatsIT]

2. Where is the NRC? Why is the EPA doing their job?