LERF and 200 Area ETF permit modification

The permittees are U.S. Department of Energy and Washington River Protection Solutions. The LERF and 200 Area ETF facilities are located on the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington.

Review and comment

The modification proposal and supporting documents are on our Hanford public comment periods page.

Proposed changes

This permit modification would allow the addition of a liquid retention basin to LERF.

The improvements include:

• Construction of a fourth LERF basin, Basin 41.
• Adding a connection from the primary transfer line from WTP EMF to LERF Basin 41.

Modifications to the permit addenda include:

• Increased storage and treatment capacity for LERF from the added Basin.
• Updated topographic map, showing Basin 41.
• Added references to Basin 41 for waste acceptance and process information related to the LERF Basins.
• Inspection, Preparedness and Prevention and Emergency response requirements for the additional basin.

LERF and ETF background

The Liquid Effluent Retention Facility and Effluent Treatment Facility, along with the Treated Effluent Disposal Facility, are all part of the Liquid Waste Processing Facility (LWPF). LWPF began construction in 1992 and became operational in 1995. The focus of the three facilities is to process a variety of Hanford Site waste containing high levels of chemical contamination and low levels of radioactive contamination. 

ETF processes liquid waste, removing chemical and radioactive contaminants. LERF comprises of a series of retention basins made to store liquid waste until it can be processed at ETF.