Hanford not safe on terror front

[icymist]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/170970_hanford28.html



Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Hanford not safe on terror front
Nuclear reservation isn't fortified against possible attack, GAO reports

By CHARLES POPE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- Because of internal disputes and cost concerns, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and other Energy Department nuclear weapons plants are unlikely to be fully fortified against modern terrorist threats for at least five years, federal investigators said yesterday.

The assessment, issued by the non-partisan General Accounting Office, found that the Energy Department has not moved in an efficient and coordinated manner to address security concerns raised by the 9/11 attacks. It said inventories of weapons, plutonium and highly enriched uranium could be vulnerable.

While the department is lumbering along, potential terrorists are looking for weak points, Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., told Energy officials at a hearing yesterday.

(more)

[htuttle]

1. Hanford isn't safe on ANY front

Don't they still have a bunch of leaky barrels and vats there that aren't labled, and they don't even know what sort of toxic brew is in them?

I'm kind of surprised that Hanford hasn't gone supercritical on it's own by now.