The Hanford site, a 580-square-mile section of semi-arid desert in southeast Washington, was established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project to produce plutonium for national defense. Hanford produced nearly two-thirds of the plutonium used in the US nuclear weapons stockpile, including materials for the Trinity Test and atomic bombs used to help end World War II. Watch the video below to learn more about the Hanford site.
Hanford News
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Sometimes major cleanup projects require some, well, post-cleanup cleanup.March 18, 2025
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he Hanford Site’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant recently received more than 3,500 gallons of sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye.March 18, 2025
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The Hanford Field Office and its tank operations contractor recently began retrieving radioactive and chemical waste from another large, underground storage tank at the Hanford Site.March 4, 2025
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The Office of Environmental Management Hanford Field Office awarded Hanford Site Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant contractor Bechtel National Inc. approximately $14.2 million, or about 95% of the available fee for work performed last year.March 4, 2025
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In the spirit of giving, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management Hanford Field Office contractor is putting surplus personal protective equipment to good use on the Hanford Site.March 4, 2025
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Workers at the Hanford Site’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant are sporting a new accessory for the first time: radiological dosimetersFebruary 18, 2025
Brian Vance is the manager of the DOE Hanford Field Office. In this capacity, Vance is responsible for an overall annual budget of nearly $3 billion, and oversight of the contractors and more than 13,000 employees involved in cleanup of the 580-square-mile Hanford site. In his role as manager, Vance is responsible for the safe and environmentally acceptable cleanup of the site, including groundwater remediation; hazardous waste and facilities decontamination and disposal operations; treatment and disposal of radioactive chemical liquid waste; and the design, construction and commissioning of the world’s largest complex of nuclear vitrification facilities, the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant.
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High-Level Budget Information
| Office | FY22 Enacted (in the millions) | FY23 Request (in the millions) | FY23 Enacted (in the millions) | FY23 Request (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY25 Requested (in the millions) |
| Office of River Protection | $1,645 | $1,604 | $1,730 | $1,975 | $1,890 | $2,001 |
| Richland Operations Office | $1,052 | $917 | $1,114 | $1,025 | $1,146 | $1,107 |
For more information on the Office of Environmental Management's budget process and performance check out the Budget & Performance page.