Oregon Public Broadcasting

There's disappointment and relief in the Tri-Cities, Washington now that a new Department of Energy plan says Texas is a better spot for storing the nation's unwanted mercury.

DOE was looking at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and several other sites across the nation to store up to 11,000 tons of the nation's unused mercury.

Gary Petersen is one of those who is relieved. He helps run the Tri-Cities Development Council -- an agency that usually tries to bring in new jobs to the region.

Gary Petersen: "We just couldn't see brining additional hazardous materials of any kind, I don't care if it's mercury, or strychnine, or DDT, to this site as a national repository, until we move toward complete cleanup of the site. And that's quite a few decades away."

The Energy Department's plan recommends against Hanford, because it would require a new building or a big remodel to safely hold the toxic chemical.

Public comments will be accepted on the mercury plan until March 30.

Online:

DOE's mercury EIS

Executive summary (.pdf)