Hanford Sitewide Permit Revision 9A

We are launching a public comment on the draft renewal of the Hanford Sitewide Permit – one of our most important tools for ensuring Hanford’s cleanup supports our mission of preserving clean land, air, and water for our communities.

The permit covers 52 waste sites and facilities at Hanford and is one of our primary resources for overseeing the U.S. Department of Energy’s treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous and radioactive waste. Ecology’s priority is to have a current, enforceable, consistent, and implementable permit that is protective of human health and the environment.

The Hanford Site currently operates under the Hanford Sitewide Permit (Permit) Revision 8C. The Permit was open for public comment on Revision 9 (Rev. 9) in 2012 . We received more than 5,000 comments on Rev. 9 from the U.S. Department of Energy (Energy), Hanford contractors, Tribes, and the public. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted comments separately. This feedback led to significant changes and revisions to the whole permit.

On June 29, 2026, a 120-day public comment period will open for Revision 9A (Rev. 9A) and continue to Oct. 27, 2026. We encourage the public to review and submit comments.

What’s new

The current Permit, Revision 8C, is made up of 22 facilities and waste sites, also known as unit groups. The Permit also includes standard permit conditions and attachments. The unit groups are separated into:

Operating Unit Groups
Closing Unit Groups
Post-Closure Unit Groups
Corrective Action Groups

The renewal, Rev. 9A, is made up of 52 unit groups and separated into the same sections as the Revision 8C. Rev 9A is more than 20,000 pages long.

The following are the unit groups that are new to the Rev. 9A renewal. For more information on the individual units, see our informational site snapshots below:

Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System
Capsule Interim Storage
Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility Pool Cells, Hot Cell G, and Truckport
Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility Hot Cells A through F
Double Shell Tanks (in the 2012 draft Revision 9)
Single-Shell Tanks (in the 2012 draft Revision 9)
PUREX Tunnels
PUREX Tanks TK-P4 and TK-40
Solid Waste Operations Complex Closure Unit Groups:
- 277-T Building
- 271-T Cage
- 2401-W Waste Storage Building
- 277-T Outdoor Storage Area
- 211-T Pad
- 221-T Sand Filter Pad
- 221-T Railroad Cut

How can you participate?

Attend a public meeting
Attend a public hearing
Read permit documents (will be available June 29).
Submit your comments during the comment period

Informational materials:

Facility and waste site snapshots

The draft Rev. 9A Permit has 52 unit groups. Due to the size and complexity of the permit, we developed a publication to provide a high-level overview of each of the unit groups. Each page introduces you to a specific facility or waste site and explains key information about it.

Open full screen

Available for download (PDF)

Public meetings

Both informational meetings and public hearings are being scheduled. There will be a combination of hybrid (in-person and virtual), in-person only, and virtual only meetings. In addition we are hosting a series of Lunch & Learn topics to go more in-depth to some of the units within the permit.

Public input is crucial for ensuring Hanford cleanup reflects the priorities and concerns of impacted communities. You can participate by providing comments or attending a public meeting.

Welcome to the Hanford Sitewide Permit

June 10, 2026 5:30 p.m.

An introductory meeting talking about the history of the Hanford Sitewide Permit, what its mission is, what it covers, and why it matters. There will also be an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the permit.

Attend in-person at the Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Drive, Richland, WA 99352

By Zoom.
Meeting ID: 828 0441 2299
Passcode: 773810

By phone
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,82804412299#,,,,*773810# US (Tacoma)
+12532050468,,82804412299#,,,,*773810# US

Questions? Contact Daina McFadden at Hanford@ecy.wa.gov

We will be holding a weekly online "Lunch & Learn" series from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning July 22, 2026. These virtual talks will focus on specific facilities or units in the Hanford Sitewide Permit. There will be a short presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Check back here soon for more information on how to join and what the weekly topics will be.

Permit background

Energy is the federal agency responsible for Hanford and its cleanup. Ecology partners with EPA, as regulators, to make sure that Energy's deadlines are met as outlined in the legally binding Tri-Party Agreement and that cleanup follows state and federal environmental laws. Ecology has delegated authority from EPA to regulate the treatment, storage, and disposal of dangerous mixed waste at Hanford. The Hanford Permit was first issued in 1994 and is one of our tools we use for regulating Energy's cleanup.

The Permit is the largest Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit in the state due to the amount of dangerous waste on site requiring active treatment, storage, and disposal.

Unit groups in the permit. Hover over colored dots for more information on each unit.

Frequently asked questions

Ecology received 5,000 comments during the 2012 public comment period. It took about 13 years to prepare Rev. 9A due to the complexity and number of changes required, while simultaneously maintaining the existing Revision 8C to support ongoing cleanup work, including:

Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) modifications.
Building new units such as the Capsule Interim Storage area.
Supporting emergency issues such as the collapse of PUREX Tunnels and leaks to double-shell and single-shell tanks.

This work took resources away from the draft Rev. 9A Permit renewal.

Contact information

Daina McFadden
Permit Communication Specialist, Department of Ecology
hanford@ecy.wa.gov
509-372-7950