RE: Hanford cleanup strategy

[jprodger@bhi-erc.com (James P Rodgers)]

     Radsafers,
     
     As a Rad-con person at the the Hanford site I believe that your basis 
     for argument may in fact be somewhat flawed although I can agree with 
     some of your points.  
     
     The work in environmental remediation taking place should be of 
     concern to the public.  Based upon the data I have seen while working 
     a the various "dig sites" I feel it behooves us to remove as much of 
     the contaminated material as is fiscally and technically feasible.  
     With the close proximity to the Columbia river of the various cribs 
     and trenches the potential for spread into the river is high.  As 
     someone person put it this place is a giant sand and rock garden s o 
     migration through the "soil" is "rapid".  To say that it is a waste of 
     time, money, and exposure to attemp to bring the contamination levels 
     down to comply with EPA and Washington state Dept. of Ecology 
     standards is incorrect.  
     
     The last plan that I heard actually was to use the large PU extraction 
     facilities to store waste and entomb them in place,  but what do you 
     do with the 9 production reactors that are deteriorating as we speak?  
     The work that is progressing now not only provides a cost effective 
     plan, but also allows them to be placed in a storage mode the 
     alleviates the potential for a major release of radionuclides now 
     contained in the reactor buildings.  To say that this is all a waste 
     of time shows a lack of foresight and a somewhat narrow point of view.
     
     Of course one could say that my opinion is biased by the fact that I 
     am currently employed by a Hanford contractor, but as a resident of 
     this area (by choice not force) the "clean-up" of this site concerns 
     me and my family.  To walk away is as big a "crime" as the way that 
     business was conducted here in the past.
     
     
     Jim Rodgers
     RCT
     Hanford site
     
     
     Note:  The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.