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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The 222-S Laboratory plays an important role in analyzing radioactive tank waste at the Hanford Site — so when crews needed to shut down the facility’s power for a full week to complete infrastructure upgrades, timing and precision were everything.May 13, 2025
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Hanford’s Test Bed Initiative could pave the way for future tank waste treatment optionsMay 2, 2025
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A key facility supporting the Hanford Site’s tank waste cleanup mission is back in service following a series of repairs, upgrades and training sessions.April 29, 2025
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Swapping out an air filter at home is a simple task that most people can complete in minutes. But replacing dozens of massive, high-efficiency filters in a 70-year-old plutonium processing plant? That's a challenge.April 15, 2025
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The Hanford Site’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is taking computer-based training to the next level by creating virtual walkthroughs of plant facilities.April 15, 2025
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Hanford firefighters are training in emergency response with teams at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant as the site gets ready to start treating radioactive waste from large, underground tanks.April 1, 2025
Brian Harkins is the acting manager of the DOE Hanford Field Office. In this capacity, Harkins is responsible for an overall annual budget of $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.
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.