Hanford Nuclear Leak: Wyden Demands Response from Energy Department

As officials at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation prepared to pump thousands of gallons of leaked radioactive waste back into their storage tank, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is demanding an investigation.

Wyden wrote to the Energy Department asking for an independent panel to monitor and report on the already damaged high-level waste tank and to reassess the risks with the remaining tanks.

Energy officials have said that while waste appears to have been released into the environment, there do not appear to be any risks to the public.

The leak was discovered on Sunday by workers.

"To make matters worse, the level of waste measured in the outer tank has begun to decrease suggesting that there are unexpected leaks or pathways in the outer tank," Wyden wrote.

"It goes without saying that citizens in Oregon and I are concerned about this situation."

Wyden says the incident shows why he has had doubts about claims by the Energy Department that they have the situation under control.

Plutonium for nuclear weapons was manufactured for years at Hanford, which now stores millions of gallons of waste underground.

The government spends billions every year to clean-up and maintain the site.