Public commenter urges commission to investigate Hanford reactors and Bradford Island contamination

At the Feb. 11 Columbia River Gorge Commission meeting, public commenter Mary Rappar urged commissioners to look into proposals she described as plans for “small nuclear reactors” at Hanford and to follow up on cleanup work at Bradford Island near Bonneville Dam.

Rappar said, “Amazon apparently is, attempting to, build 4, nuclear reactors and, they use the word, small, nuclear reactors,” and added, “Hanford is just up the river, and, we're all downriver.” She referenced historic downwinder health effects and said the Hanford site “is still leaking” and that taxpayers have historically paid cleanup costs.

On Bradford Island, Rappar said past disposal practices had “put stuff into pits that should never have been put into pits” and asked the commission to place the cleanup on a future agenda. She said she would follow up with written comments.

Commissioners acknowledged the public comments and asked staff to consider whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or other agencies could provide a briefing on Bradford Island at a future meeting.

Why this matters: Mattters raised concern potential cross-jurisdictional environmental and public-health impacts downstream from Hanford and ongoing contamination and cleanup needs at Bradford Island, issues that intersect with tribal fisheries and public trust responsibilities.

What’s next: Rappar said she would provide written comments; commissioners asked staff to explore opportunities for an update from relevant federal agencies.