Energy Northwest Fined for Waste at Nuclear Plant

Energy Northwest Fined for Waste at Nuclear Plant



October 2007

 The Washington State 
Department of Ecology issued a $120,000 penalty and administrative order 
Thursday to the Energy Northwest Columbia Generating Station for 
violations of hazardous waste management regulations. While Columbia is 
the only commercial nuclear power plant in the Pacific Northwest, the 
violations were not related to the handling of radioactive materials. 
Violations included improperly stored industrial hazardous wastes and 
unlabeled chemicals discovered at several locations inside the Columbia 
Generating Station facility. 
Ecology issued a second administrative order to Energy Northwest, 
Washington Nuclear Project No. 1 Industrial Development Complex, WNP-1. 
At WNP-1, Energy Northwest had leased property to industrial clients who 
performed commercial operations such as painting, metal recycling, and 
heavy equipment storage. 
During July and August of this year inspectors from Ecology's Nuclear 
Waste Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Region 10 
performed joint inspections of the two sites. 
Inspectors found industrial chemicals and hazardous wastes improperly 
labeled and stored in old storage sheds, wastes left inside laboratory 
work stations, unreported spills of industrial chemicals, and chemical 
waste abandoned around both sites. In addition, serious concerns were 
identified with programs for training employees to safely handle hazardous 
waste materials. 
"Ecology is issuing the fine and administrative orders because significant 
improvements in waste management are needed at both of the Energy 
Northwest sites," said Ron Skinnarland, manager of Ecology's Waste 
Management section. "Fortunately there have been no accidents or injuries 
caused by the lack of proper controls, but the training deficiencies are 
serious and must be addressed." 
The administrative order requires that WNP-1 properly identify, contain, 
store and dispose of the various wastes discovered to be improperly stored 
or otherwise mismanaged. 
"The improper storage of these hazardous materials is a serious 
violation," said Jane Hedges, Nuclear Waste Program manager. "The 
unacceptable training of employees, the lack of reporting of spills of 
dangerous substances into the environment and the improper storage of 
waste escalated our concerns about lack of management and safety oversight 
at Energy Northwest." 
In both administrative orders, Ecology is requiring Energy Northwest to 
correct all violations by the end of 2007. Some of those corrections 
include rewriting training programs and identifying chemicals with proper 
labels and placing them into safe storage. If chemicals are unusable, they 
must be identified and disposed of properly as hazardous waste. 
Ecology is encouraged by Energy Northwest's initial response to the 
inspection findings and the involvement of senior management. 
Ecology will continue to work closely with Energy Northwest to ensure that 
all violations are addressed at both the Columbia Generating Station and 
at the WNP-1 Industrial Development Complex. 

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