The philosophy behind this law is that, if DOE doesn't ever start the job, DOE will never finish the job. As a result, the start of treatment is always delayed. While there have been instances where DOE has agreed to speed up the start of treatment, they were always followed shortly by a renegotiation allowing for a long delay. Looking at the original TPA, the program would already have filled several grout vaults and the vitrification plant would be starting this year. Instead, Hanford is still over five years away from starting a vitrification plant.
Delays increase costs and risks.
Many of the delays and changes in program direction are ostensibly made because DOE says they will reduce the cost of vitrifying tank wastes. But all these arguments are wasteful and divert attention away from the real cost driver. It is all but impossible to accurately estimate the cost of a program that is so large and complex. The longer DOE delays, the more costly the treatment program gets. Further, the longer DOE delays, the longer we're paying for surveillance and maintenance in the tank farms, the more tank leaks threaten the Columbia River and risks to workers in the tank farms are prolonged.