Caution signs warn of radioactive materials outside a tank farm holding waste on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The DOE is now narrowing the size and scope of the advisory board that has provided input on the cleanup. This photo was taken on September 24, 2024 as part of an OPB-NWPB collaboration for a week of "Think Out Loud" shows about Hanford, broadcast live from the WSU, Tri-Cities campus.
Courtesy Annie Warren/NWPB
For decades, a wide array of groups have had representatives on the Hanford Advisory Board. They’ve provided input on a variety of issues around the cleanup of waste and contamination from the nuclear reservation in central-southeast Washington.
Now, the Department of Energy under President Trump is curtailing the board.
The advisory board is going from 70 members, including alternates, to 20. The new members will be selected by the government, and any group members or representatives of tribal nations will no longer speak for a constituency but only for themselves.
Critics say these changes will reduce representation and accountability, while the DOE says the changes standardize the board and “enhance engagement with those that live closest to Hanford.”
We talk with Anna King, senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting, who’s covered the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup for the last 20 years, to learn more about the impact of this change.
“Think Out Loud®” broadcasts live at noon every day and rebroadcasts at 8 p.m.
If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org, or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983.
