6 tanks at Hanford nuclear site in Wash. leaking

[No Elephants]

Feb 22, 9:33 PM EST

6 tanks at Hanford nuclear site in Wash. leaking

By SHANNON DININNY
Associated Press

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) -- Six underground tanks that hold a brew of radioactive and toxic waste at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site are leaking, federal and state officials said Friday, prompting calls for an investigation from a key senator.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said the leaking material poses no immediate risk to public safety or the environment because it would take a while - perhaps years - to reach groundwater.

But the leaking tanks raise new concerns about delays for emptying them and strike another blow to federal efforts to clean up south-central Washington's Hanford Nuclear Reservation, where successes often are overshadowed by delays, budget overruns and technological challenges.

Department of Energy spokeswoman Lindsey Geisler said there was no immediate health risk and said federal officials would work with Washington state to address the matter.

Regardless, Tom Towslee, a spokesman for Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the senator will be asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate Hanford's tank monitoring and maintenance program.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HANFORD_LEAK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-02-22-21-33-16

Possibly the most toxic Friday night news dump ever. Hard to choose, though, if you use the word "toxic" figuratively as well as literally,