**GAO-08-793**                      Published: Jun 30, 2008. Publicly Released: Jun 30, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

The Department of Energy (DOE) manages more than 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste stored in 149 single-shell and 28 double-shell underground tanks at its Hanford Site in Washington State. Many of these aging tanks have already leaked waste into the soil. Meanwhile, DOE's planned process for emptying the tanks and treating the waste--mixing it with molten glass and solidifying it in canisters for storage--has experienced delays, lengthening the time the tanks will store waste and intensifying concerns about the tanks' viability during a long cleanup process. This report addresses (1) the condition, contents, and long-term viability of Hanford's underground tanks; (2) DOE's strategy for managing the tanks; and (3) the extent to which DOE has weighed the risks and benefits of its tank management strategy against the growing costs of that strategy. GAO analyzed numerous studies and reports on the tanks and interviewed DOE officials and other experts on relevant issues.

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## Topics

Government Operations

Advanced waste treatment facilitiesChemicalsCost analysisCost controlCritical infrastructure protectionEnvironmental monitoringEnvironmental protectionHazardous substancesHazardous waste disposalHazardous waste site remediationHazardous waste sitesHazardous wastesNuclear waste disposalNuclear waste managementNuclear waste storageRadioactive waste disposalRadioactive wastesRegulatory agenciesRisk assessmentRisk managementStrategic planningTanks (containers)Toxic substancesWaste disposalWaste managementWaste treatment