Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Brian Baird spoke out today on the Department of Energy (DoE) plans to transport an additional 70,000 truckloads of nuclear waste to the Hanford facility.  In a letter to DoE Secretary Spencer Abraham, Rep. Baird expressed his grave concern with the plan, citing current problems with storage tanks at Hanford which have leaked approximately 1 million gallons of high level waste into the surrounding environment. 

“The administration needs to take care of existing waste at Hanford, not add to the leaking stockpiles,” said Rep. Baird.  “Trucking additional waste to Hanford is irresponsible policy that creates a dangerous situation for thousands of residents along the Columbia River.”

In addition to concerns regarding recent leaks of nuclear waste at the Hanford site, the proposed route of transport for the waste is troubling.  As outlined by the DoE, the proposed truckloads of waste  would travel on the I-5 corridor and Columbia River Gorge byways to reach their final destination at Hanford.  Their proposed travel routes raise serious safety concerns for travelers on the highways as well as nearby communities.