Hanford is polluted with radioactive and chemical contaminants from the past production of plutonium for U.S. nuclear weapons program.
Tri-City Herald: Local: "Fluor, a prime contractor for the Department of Energy at the Hanford nuclear reservation, manages several major activities, including dismantling former nuclear processing facilities, cleaning up contaminated ground water, retrieving and processing plutonium-contaminated waste for off-site shipment, maintaining the site's infrastructure and operating the Volpentest HAMMER training center.
Hanford is polluted with radioactive and chemical contaminants from the past production of plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program.
In May, Fluor said the layoffs would be needed to reflect changes in Fluor's remaining scope of work until its contract expires in September 2006.
Fluor already has completed stabilizing 20 tons of plutonium material at the Plutonium Finishing Plant and removed 2,300 tons of spent fuel from Hanford's K Basins. In the coming months, Fluor expects to complete more projects, including removing plutonium residues from thousands of feet of process and drain lines and equipment at the Plutonium Finishing Plant.
Although Fluor has not discussed budget cuts in connection with the layoffs, the contractor likely will get less money for cleanup in the Hanford budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Hanford contractors also are considering layoffs. CH2M Hill Hanford Group said that it might have to cut up to 350 jobs if DOE's proposed budget cuts were passed by Congress. However, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., succeeded in restoring $34 million of about $90 million cut for tank farm work managed by CH2M Hill.
That budget figure will be reconciled with $67 million restored in the U.S. House version for the tank farms thanks to U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash. At the farms, fields of underground tanks hold 53 million gallons of radioactive waste waiting to be treated.
Bechtel National should finish laying off about 1,000 workers this month. The layoffs began in April after concerns were raised about whether parts of the vitrification plant under construction could withstand a severe earthquake. The plant is planned to turn some of the tank waste into a stable glass form for permanent[?] disposal."
Hanford is polluted with radioactive and chemical contaminants from the past production of plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program.
In May, Fluor said the layoffs would be needed to reflect changes in Fluor's remaining scope of work until its contract expires in September 2006.
Fluor already has completed stabilizing 20 tons of plutonium material at the Plutonium Finishing Plant and removed 2,300 tons of spent fuel from Hanford's K Basins. In the coming months, Fluor expects to complete more projects, including removing plutonium residues from thousands of feet of process and drain lines and equipment at the Plutonium Finishing Plant.
Although Fluor has not discussed budget cuts in connection with the layoffs, the contractor likely will get less money for cleanup in the Hanford budget for fiscal year 2006.
Other Hanford contractors also are considering layoffs. CH2M Hill Hanford Group said that it might have to cut up to 350 jobs if DOE's proposed budget cuts were passed by Congress. However, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., succeeded in restoring $34 million of about $90 million cut for tank farm work managed by CH2M Hill.
That budget figure will be reconciled with $67 million restored in the U.S. House version for the tank farms thanks to U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash. At the farms, fields of underground tanks hold 53 million gallons of radioactive waste waiting to be treated.
Bechtel National should finish laying off about 1,000 workers this month. The layoffs began in April after concerns were raised about whether parts of the vitrification plant under construction could withstand a severe earthquake. The plant is planned to turn some of the tank waste into a stable glass form for permanent[?] disposal."
posted by Greta Jane at Wednesday, July 06, 2005
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