News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 9, 2003
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gary Locke’s Statement Regarding the Energy Department’s Halting of Cleanup Efforts at Hanford

OLYMPIA – May 9, 2003 – Gov. Gary Locke today issued the following statement regarding the Energy Department’s order to halt some cleanup work at Hanford:

“The Energy Department’s actions make absolutely no sense.

“Their response to cleaning untreated waste at Hanford is to stop cleanup efforts that would add to the existing problem?

“This rationale would be like your mother telling you not to let dirty dishes pile up in the sink and you respond by not cleaning any dishes at all.”

The U.S. Department of Energy today halted some cleanup at Hanford claiming it was in response to an April 30 order from the state’s Department of Ecology. This order set deadlines for the retrieval, classification and storage of an estimated 75,000 barrels of nuclear waste now buried in unlined trenches at the site.


» Return to this month's News Releases
» View News Release Archive

Access Washington