RICHLAND, Wash. - More than 100 people recently commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Hanford Site at an event titled “Evolution of the Secret City: A Fireside Chat about the Hanford Story."
A panel discussion focused on topics ranging from Hanford’s selection as a part of the Manhattan Project to the site’s current cleanup activities and future outlook. The event was televised on Pacific Northwest PBS stations.
Speakers included Richland Operations Office (RL) Assistant Manager for Business and Financial Operations Greg Jones, former RL manager and community advocate Mike Lawrence, former U.S. congressman Doc Hastings, DOE historian Eric Boyle, and former Tri-City Herald reporter and publisher Jack Briggs.
Boyle discussed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers choice of this area of Washington state to build the first full-scale nuclear reactor. He said the area was isolated, and close to cold water and power sources.
“After its selection for the Manhattan Project, the Hanford Site created opportunities that weren’t previously available," Boyle said. “People came from all over the country to work on a project that would change the course of history."
From weapons production to its current cleanup mission, the speakers talked about the site’s effect on the region and nation.
“We have a bias toward action," Jones said. “While we have accomplished a lot of cleanup at Hanford, there is plenty of work ahead of us. We partner with contractors, the national laboratories, and academia to find solutions to cleanup challenges that can be tested in the laboratory, piloted in the field, and eventually used to do the cleanup."
The fireside chat was hosted by Leidos, the managing partner of RL contractor Mission Support Alliance, the site’s service provider. The event was held at the REACH Museum in Richland.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
