GAP Calls for Widespread Testing Independent of DOE
(Washington, DC) – The Government Accountability Project (GAP) and Boston Chemical Data Corporation issued a report today with new and shocking findings regarding radioactive contamination in public areas surrounding the Hanford nuclear site in Richland, WA. The study includes the first reports of plutonium in clams and fish. Additional findings include evidence that radiation levels in mulberry trees are higher than previously reported, strontium-90 has entered the ecosystem in alarmingly high levels, and that contamination is much more geographically widespread than previously thought.
“This is hard evidence that points to past Department of Energy (DOE) reports as being inadequate to protect the people of Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon,” said Tom Carpenter, GAP Nuclear Oversight Campaign Director. “The DOE does not place a priority on testing conditions outside of the Hanford perimeter in places where the public is allowed to fish and recreate. Our findings call for increased scrutiny on all levels regarding this area that is of grave public concern. Who knows what these plutonium readings mean for the future of aquatic life in the Columbia River?”
In addition to plutonium being found for the first time in fish, increased levels of strontium, mercury, beryllium, uranium, and cesium were detected in aquatic creatures. Short and long term effects of this exposure remain unknown. It was also found that mulberry leaves from the shoreline of the Columbia River at the Hanford perimeter are toxic, providing strong indication that the mulberries themselves are of great concern.
It is also of concern that an area of the Columbia River 20 miles upstream from the Hanford site contained high uranium readings. There is no explanation for this finding at this time, though possible explanations could include that the uranium comes from natural sources, from a source upstream of Hanford, or that contamination was either windblown or carried up the river by aquatic organisms.
Possible windblown contamination was also measured in attic dust collected from homes in Richland. One sample showed levels of radiation six times higher than samples taken from attics in houses in other parts of the country.
The data collection and written report was completed by Marco Kaltofen, a registered professional engineer and environmental scientist with more than 19 years of experience in environmental investigations. He is the president of Boston Chemical Data, a corporation highly experienced in environmental investigations. Samples were analyzed by Pace Analytical Services, Inc. of Madison, PA and PASC/Maxxam of Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The report was peer reviewed by a retired Hanford scientist and reviewed by the Oregon Office of Energy.
“In the wake of this report, it is essential that Congress provide the funds for a Natural Resources Injury Assessment, independent of the Department of Energy, to examine contamination around the Hanford site,” said Carpenter. “We need to find out what this data means for public health concerns immediately. At a time when the government is planning to import nearly double the amount of contaminated waste already at Hanford, it is crucial to have credible environmental data.”
Tom Carpenter and Marco Kaltofen will be available to speak with the media from 11:00 – 1:30 PST in Seattle. They will both also be available tonight from 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Red Lion Hanford House Hotel in Richland, Washington. Located at 802 George Washington Way, the hotel will house the annual “State of the Hanford site” public meeting tonight at 6:30pm.