US: Hanford nuclear cleanup gets biggest funding boost after delays

The Hanford nuclear site, the most radioactively contaminated location in the Western Hemisphere, has received a record $3.2 billion budget for 2026, marking the largest Congressional funding boost for its cleanup efforts to date. Established in 1943 to produce weapons-grade plutonium for atomic bombs, Hanford generated 67 tons of plutonium over four decades, accompanied by billions of gallons of chemical and radioactive waste. Much of this waste—56 million gallons—was stored in 177 underground tanks, a third of which are leaking, contaminating an aquifer beneath and threatening the nearby Columbia River. Cleanup efforts began under a 1987 agreement among the state, U.S. Department of Energy, and EPA, but delays and funding shortfalls have pushed back the timeline significantly. The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) started operations last year to convert radioactive waste into stable glass for underground storage, but substantial work remains. Plans include opening another facility in the 2030s to