ODOE Hanford Letters & Position Papers

The Oregon Department of Energy has served as a constant voice in the Hanford site cleanup efforts.

As cleanup continues for the next several decades, Oregon ensures decisions are protective of the Columbia River. ODOE may submit letters or position papers to the U.S. Department of Energy or other partners to provide feedback and guidance on cleanup efforts.

Key Letters & Position Papers

2026

Date	Topic
April 2026	Oregon EMF Permit Comments to Washington Ecology
March 2026	ODOE Comments on Draft 200 West Waste Area Incidental to Reprocessing Evaluation
March 2026	Oregon Comments on U.S. DOE proposed NEPA Categorical Exclusion for Advanced Nuclear Reactors
February 2026	Oregon Comments on M-100 Comprehensive Cleanup Milestones

2025

Date	Topic
August 2025	Oregon Comments on the 324 Proposed Plan
May 2025	Oregon Comments on 200W SA
April 2025	Oregon Comments on FY2027 Budget Priorities

2024

Date	Topic
December 2024	Oregon Comments on Carlsbad Legacy TRU Definition
October 2024	Oregon Feedback and Comments on FY 2025 - FY 2029 Hanford 5-year Plan
August 2024	ODOE Comments on Draft Hanford Tri-Party Holistic Negotiations Agreement on Future of Tank Waste
June 2024	ODOE Letter Requesting Comment Period Extension for Tri-Party Holistic Negotiations Agreement
April 2024	Oregon Comments on the Washington Department of Ecology 2,000-Gallon Test Bed Initiative Demonstration Research, Development, and Development Permit
April 2024	Oregon Comments on FY 2026 Priorities
April 2024	Oregon Comments on proposed revisions to regulations for the Type A procedures for conducting a natural resource damage assessment and restoration for hazardous substance releases covered in 43 CFR Part 11.

2022-23

Date	Topic
December 2023	Oregon Comments on U.S. DOE's Hanford Mixed Radioactive Waste Land Disposal Restrictions Variance for the Test Bed Initiative
November 2023	Oregon's Comments on DOE's 2023-2028 5 Year Plan Communication “Placemat"
June 2023	Oregon Comments on Engineering Evaluation and Cost Assessment (EE/CA) for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF)
April 2023	Oregon Comments on the DOE Analysis of Alternatives Related to High-Level Waste Treatment
April 2023	Oregon Comments on 2025 Hanford Site Budget and Cleanup Priorities
February 2023	Oregon Comments on Hanford Nuclear Site Cleanup Funding
November 2, 2022	Oregon Response to Hanford's 5-Year Plan 2023-2027
August 16, 2022	Oregon Comments on the 2022 Adaptive Milestone Approach
August 9, 2022	Joint Agency Letter Requesting Funding Increase
June 10, 2022	Oregon Comments on NAS Supplemental Treatment of Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Study
April 15, 2022	Oregon Comments on 2024 Hanford Site Budget and Cleanup Priorities
March 4, 2022	Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board Comments on Consent-Based Siting and Federal Interim Storage
February 2, 2022	Oregon Comments on the Hanford Test Bed Initiative Draft Waste Incidental to Reprocessing Evaluation
January 6, 2022	Oregon Comments on the Draft 5 Year CERCLA Review

2021

Date	Topic
January 6, 2022	Oregon Comments on the Draft 5 Year CERCLA Review
November 22, 2021	Oregon Comments on the 2022-2027 Hanford 5 Year Vision
September 3, 2021	ODOE Comments on Test Bed Initiative NEPA EA.
July 15, 2021	ODOE Review of the Continued Analysis of Supplemental Treatment of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation - Remarks from Maxwell Woods and Jeff Burright during the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's public meeting. PowerPoint Presentation Remarks
June 23, 2021	Oregon comments on proposed M-091 milestone, which applies to Hanford waste that is or was believed to meet the transuranic waste criteria
April 28, 2021	Oregon comment on the Engineering Evaluation and Cost Estimate (EE/CA) for the Non Time-Critical Removal Action (NTCRA) for the 200-West Tier 2 Buildings/Structures (DOE/RL-2020-39, Rev 0)

2020

Date	Topic
November 25, 2020	Oregon comments to USDOE on its Draft Waste Incidental to Reprocessing Evaluation for Vitrified Low Activity Tank Waste at Hanford
August 13, 2020	Oregon comments on Plant-B EECA
July 1, 2020	Oregon Budget Priorities
March 31, 2020	Oregon comments on DOE proposal to interim stabilize three waste sites within Hanford's Plutonium Finishing Plant complex
March 20, 2020	ODOE letter to members of Oregon's Congressional delegation expressing concerns about the potential impacts of President Trump's proposed FY 2021 budget on the Hanford nuclear site cleanup
January 24, 2020	Oregon comments on a Draft Environmental Assessment for the treatment and disposal of defense waste processing wastewater at the Savannah River Site, SC (US DOE's first use of its new interpretation of the definition of “High-Level Radioactive Waste”)

2019

Date	Topic
November 25, 2019	Oregon comments on the Proposed Plan for the 100-BC area of Hanford's River corridor
August 14, 2019	ODOE comments on a National Academies of Science study evaluating different treatment methods for Hanford tank waste. (NAS Supplemental LAW study)
May 22, 2019	ODOE comments on management of uranium and technetium groundwater plumes in Hanford's 200Areas. (Proposed Plan for BP-5)
April 4, 2019	ODOE comments on the 2019 Hanford Lifecycle Scope, Cost and Schedule Report
April 2, 2019	ODOE comments on treatability studies assessment for Hanford's deep vadose zone

2018

Date	Topic
December 28, 2018	ODOE comments on USDOE proposal for new definition of “high-level radioactive waste.”
October 17, 2018	ODOE presentation on U.S. Department of Energy proposal to reclassify high-level waste at Hanford.(See official, submitted public comments below.)
October 4, 2018	ODOE comments to USDOE on its Draft Waste Incidental to Reprocessing (WIR) Evaluation and Performance Assessment for Waste Management Area C.
July 2, 2018	Comments on proposed Tri-Party Agreement milestones related to moving Hanford's cesium and strontium capsules to dry storage, which Oregon favors occurring sooner than the proposed milestone of 2025.
June 25, 2018	Oregon request for a 60-day extension to submit comments on the Draft Waste Incidental to Reprocessing (Draft WIR) for Closure of Waste Management Area C.(Extension granted)
April 17, 2018	Oregon input on the independent assessment of technology development efforts within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
January 29, 2018	Request to Ecology and U.S. Department of Energy to consult with Oregon and the public on the status of Tri-Party Agreement tank waste treatment negotiations.
January 24, 2018	Oregon encourages Hanford Tri-Parties to accelerate movement of cesium and strontium capsules to dry storage.

2017

Date	Topic
December 13, 2017	Comments on the Energy Communities Alliance's document titled "Waste Disposition: A New Approach to DOE's Waste Management Must Be Pursued."
December 7, 2017	Comments on proposed modifications to the Hanford Dangerous Waste Permit regarding cesium and strontium capsules.
July 6, 2017	Oregon Cleanup Priorities
February 1, 2017	REDOX Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis: “Oregon comments on plans for proposed removal actions to reduce risks to human health and the environment from the REDOX complex.”

2016

Date	Topic
November 3, 2016	M-91 Engineering Review: "Oregon comments on plans for the retrieval, processing, certification, and shipment of Hanford's transuranic waste."
October 31, 2016	5-Year Review Comments: "Oregon comments on the draft Hanford CERCLA 5-Year Review."
July 21, 2016	324 Building Closure Plan: "Oregon comments on the proposed closure plan for Hanford's 324 Building."
July 15, 2016	PW-1,3,6 Work Plan: "Oregon comments on the proposed work plan and sampling plan for plutonium waste sites at Hanford."