SENATE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

February 24, 2003 Hearing Room B

8:30 a.m. Tapes 22-23

MEMBERS PRESENT: Sen. Frank Shields, Chair

Sen. Roger Beyer, Vice-Chair

Sen. Bill Fisher

MEMBER EXCUSED: Sen. Tony Corcoran

STAFF PRESENT: Judith Callens, Committee Administrator

Patricia Nielsen, Committee Assistant

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD: Informational Meeting

Hanford Nuclear Site Report

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 22, A
005	Chair Shields	Calls committee meeting to order at 8:40 a.m. Opens informational meeting.
INFORMATIONAL MEETING Hanford Nuclear Site Report
015	Chair Ferrioli	Convenes the Senate Water and Land Use Committee as subcommittee. Introduces Oregon State Hanford State Cleanup Board activities and discusses cleanup effort.
020	Michael Grainey	Oregon Office of Energy (OOE) Director. Presents overview of Hanford issues. Submits written outline of today’s presentation (EXHIBIT A).
135	Ken Niles	OOE Nuclear Safety Division Administrator. Presents slide show describing the history and background of the Hanford site. Submits written materials and videotape (EXHIBITS B, C).
250	Niles	Continues and discusses cleanup efforts at Hanford: · Successful cleanup of spent fuel and movement away from the Columbia River into safer storage conditions · Removal of threat of more contamination by movement of liquid waste out of single-walled tanks and into double-walled tanks
320	Niles	Continues and discusses three concerns: · Tank waste should be removed from tanks and solidified through vitrification process to turn the waste into a glass-like substance, which is still radioactive but does not move through the environment. · Groundwater contamination must be addressed · Impact of waste coming to Hanford for disposal from other areas in the nation has not been assessed
400	Niles	Summarizes and concludes.
TAPE 23, A
010	Armand Minthorn	Board of Trustees, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Presents Tribal position on Hanford issues. Submits written statement (EXHIBIT D). Discusses Tribal concerns, participation in the cleanup efforts and primary objectives.
100	Minthorn	Encourages the committee to pass a proposed resolution regarding Hanford cleanup. Discusses protection of salmon populations and water resources.
150	Sen. Ferrioli	Commends the Tribes for their commitment to the Hanford cleanup efforts. Discusses issue of restoration of salmonid population in contrast to allowing Hanford contamination to continue unabated.
180	Chair Shields	Asks about treaty rights to ceded territory which is inaccessible due to Hanford contamination.
190	Minthorn	Elaborates on treaty rights within ceded area and within the Hanford reservation.
220	Sen. Ferrioli	Discusses the proposed memorial.
235	Minthorn	Offers to present Hanford information to the entire Senate.
240	Shelley Cimon	Oregon Hanford Waste Board Chair. Discusses Board background and current activities.
340	Cimon	Continues and describes Board interaction with the U.S. Department of Energy and other regulatory agencies. Discusses issues of concern: · Underground storage tanks · Groundwater contamination
390	Chair Shields	Comments the groundwater contamination is 2,800 times the safe level of radiation for river water. Discusses threat to human health and salmon populations.
TAPE 22, B
005	Cimon	Continues and discusses challenges the Board is facing: · Funding limitations · Transport of waste and response plan for possible accident or spill · Return the Office of Energy to Department status · Change Board’s name to Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board
070	Norma Jean Germond	Oregon Hanford Waste Board member. Discusses Board commitment to public outreach. Presents written testimony (EXHIBIT E). Explains goals of public education and involvement.
170	Sen. Ferrioli	Comments on the Tri-party agreement by which citizens of Washington state are prevented from using litigation to force cleanup actions to begin or continue: · Though Oregon citizens are not party, they have not established standing to sue either · Essential activities of Oregon Hanford Waste Board to raise public awareness and influence negotiations
240	Sen. Ferrioli	Explains half-life of radioactive materials.
270	Germond	Comments on how complicated the cleanup efforts have been.
290	Chair Shields	Asks about ongoing monitoring of contamination in the Hanford reach groundwater.
320	Grainey	Discusses studies being conducted and cleanup goals. Describes goal of intercepting contaminated groundwater.
345	Chair Shields	Inquires about possibilities when contaminated groundwater reaches the Columbia River.
355	Grainey	Responds and discusses pollution.
365	Chair Shields	Asks about legal standing to begin litigation.
375	Grainey	Discusses attempts to sue the federal government to enforce cleanup.
405	Sen. Ferrioli	Comments on tank leakage and movement of contaminated groundwater.
TAPE 23, B
005	Sen. Ferrioli	Continues and describes attempts to contain contaminated groundwater or remove and treat it.
040	Sen. Metsger	Asks about chemical reactions within the tanks.
055	Grainey	Responds and describes.
060	Cimon	Responds further.
065	Sen. Metsger	Asks about working with the current contractor and receiving information about cleanup efforts.
070	Germond	Explains interaction.
090	Cimon	Elaborates.
100	Doug Riggs	Hanford Information Network. Discusses Network background. Submits written material and CD-ROM (EXHIBITS F, G).
140	Sen. Ferrioli	Asks about budget for Hanford cleanup.
150	Riggs	Responds.
190	Sen. Ferrioli	Describes committee bill to rename the Office of Energy to Department of Energy, and the Hanford Waste Board to the Hanford Cleanup Board.
220	Riggs	Presents slides to illustrate the impact of Hanford contamination: · Progress in cleanup · Public involvement
300	Sen. Ferrioli	Concludes and urges continued efforts in education and cleanup. Discusses LC 2513, which will be introduced today as SM 1 (EXHIBIT H). Closes informational meeting. Adjourns the committee at 9:28 a.m.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – Informational Hanford, presentation outline, Michael Grainey, 1 p

B – Informational Hanford, binder, Ken Niles, oversized exhibit

C – Informational Hanford, videotape, Ken Niles, oversized exhibit

D – Informational Hanford, written testimony, Armand Minthorn, 8 pp

E – Informational Hanford, written testimony, Norma Germond, 2 pp

F – Informational Hanford, brochure, Doug Riggs, 2 pp

G – Informational Hanford, CD-ROM, Doug Riggs, oversized exhibit

H – Informational Hanford, LC 2513 draft, staff, 3 pp