Final Review of the Study on Supplemental Treatment Approaches of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management is responsible for managing and cleaning up the waste and contamination at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the nation's biggest and most complex nuclear cleanup challenge. At the site, 177 underground tanks collectively contain about 211 million liters of waste that includes high-activity and low-activity materials. At the request of Congress, Final Review of the Study on Supplemental Treatment Approaches of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation: Review #4 focuses on approaches for treatment and disposal of the supplemental portion of the low-activity waste from the tanks. This review report discusses developments since the publication of Review #3 and provides a summary of public comments on the third committee review report. The authoring committee then shares their views on these comments and whether they change any of the findings or recommendations in the third review report. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Developments Since Publication of Review #3 3 Themes of the Comments Received During the Comment Period 4 The Committee's Observations and Responses to Comments 5 Conclusion References Appendix A: Major Parts of Review of the Final Draft Analysis of Supplemental Treatment Approaches of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation: Review #3 Appendix B: Executive Summary from the Federally Funded Research and Development Center's Report of Analysis of Approaches to Supplemental Treatment of Low-Activity Waste at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation Appendix C: Section 3134 of Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act Appendix D: Statement of Task Appendix E: Presentations at the Committee's Information-Gathering Meetings and List and Summary of Comments Received During the Public Comment Period Appendix F: Biographical Sketches of the Committee, Technical Adviser, and Study Director Appendix G: Acronyms and Abbreviations