Tanks for listening! New all-Hanford edition of 'Gone Fission'

The 'Gone Fission Nuclear Report' podcast recently released an all-Hanford Site episode spotlighting David Reeploeg, Vice President for Federal Programs for the Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC) and Executive Director for Hanford Communities, as its featured guest. Reeploeg is also a member of the Energy Communities Alliance.

'Gone Fission' provides listeners with information on developments across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. The series also provides commentary and insights to help listeners gain a better understanding of the impact of developments discussed in each episode.

In the most recent episode of the podcast, Reeploeg provided insight on the current community perspective of cleanup at DOE's Hanford Site.

"I think that the community is generally pretty encouraged by what's happening with the cleanup effort at Hanford today," he said. "The cleanup has been going on now for over 30 years. There's been a number of fits and starts, and a significant evolution both in terms of getting an understanding from all parties - including the community - of what cleanup looks like and how it's going to be done."

Reeploeg also commented on the community's initial perspective at the start of the site's cleanup program.

"When you flash back 30 years, there was a lot of trepidation and concern, both in terms of the impact on the local economy...and about what cleanup was going to do in the transition from production to cleanup," he said. "Hanford had historically been a very large employer and a key economic driver in the community - and it still is today - but there was a lot of uncertainty. That was one of the reasons, I believe, that groups like Hanford Communities were formed at the time."

Despite the initial uncertainty in the community, according the Reeploeg, the tank waste treatment mission at Hanford is "progressing really well" and "will be the enduring work that will take a lot of time and effort for the next half-century."

The episode also includes coverage on the first large-scale treatment of radioactive and chemical waste at the Tank-Side Cesium Removal System, the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste program, and more topics.

To listen to the full episode of 'Gone Fission Nuclear Report' and to view an archive of episodes, please visit here: www.gonefissionnuclear.com/.