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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 27, 2016)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A Wednesday, April 27, 2016 Hanford seeks possible leak in second tank SPOKANE (AP) — Ofi- cials for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation are trying to determine if a second giant underground tank containing radioactive waste from the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons is leaking, the U.S. Department of Energy revealed on Tuesday. Air monitors attached to an aging tank known as AY-101 recently found radiation at higher than normal background levels, the agency said. A video inspection of the underground tank found no evidence that radioactive waste had leaked from the primary tank into the space between the two walls, Hanford oficials said. While a new leak is a possibility, they have found no evidence of one. “We want to discredit that potential before we make any statement,” said Tom Fletcher, the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy’s tank farms manager at Hanford. A Hanford watchdog group on Tuesday contended the higher radiation found by the air monitors was evidence of a leak in a second tank. Hanford Challenge is based in Seattle. “The presence of these radioactive materials in the outer shell of the tank, known as the annulus, is a solid indi- cator that the primary shell of the tank has failed and is leaking high-level nuclear waste into the outer shell,” said Mike Geffre, a former Hanford worker now on the board of Hanford Challenge. Earlier this month, Hanford oficials revealed that a tank known as AY-102 had leaked several thousand Staff photo by E.J. Harris The head of a dead thistle plant is covered in spider webs in a ield on the Oxbow property in Hermiston. BRIEFLY move is part of a restructuring caused by declining personal computer sales. Intel is Oregon’s largest private employer, with 19,500 workers in Portland’s western suburbs. State law requires employers to give advance warning before a plant closing or mass layoff. The Ofice of Community Colleges and Workforce Development said Tuesday it has received the warning from Intel. The company said in a letter it is iring 784 workers. Gov. Brown renews call for transportation funding EUGENE (AP) — During a visit to Eugene and Springield, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown again called on state lawmakers to approve more transportation funding. The Register-Guard reports that Brown has asked the Legislature to pass a major transportation funding package in 2017. It would be likely be paid for by higher gas taxes and vehicle registration and driver license fees. During her visit, Brown took a short bus ride along Franklin Boulevard with local oficials. The route is being considered for major upgrades and could receive money from the transportation package. Springield oficials have long wanted to turn Franklin into an upscale development hub and Eugene oficials want to improve the stretch of the road near the university. Brown wouldn’t say how much money she supports raising for transportation. Bill introduced to return Kennewick Man to tribes SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to require the federal government to give the bones of Kennewick Man back to the Indian tribes from which he descended. It calls for the Army Corps of Engineers to repatriate the 9,000-year-old skeleton back to the tribes for reburial. The remains were discovered in 1996 near the Columbia River in Kennewick, triggering a lengthy legal ight between tribes and scientists. Kennewick Man is one of the oldest and most complete skeletons found in North America. Last year, new genetic evidence determined the remains were closer to modern Native Americans than any other population in the world. Intel to cut 784 Ore. workers PORTLAND (AP) — Intel has notiied Oregon oficials it plans to lay off nearly 800 workers in Washington County. The Santa Clara, California-based company announced last week it is shedding 12,000 jobs worldwide. The Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255 before noon Tuesday through Friday or before 10 a.m. Saturday for same-day redelivery 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 Ofice hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed major holidays To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255 or go online to www.eastoregonian.com and click on ‘Subscribe’ East Oregonian (USPS 164-980) is published daily except Sunday, Monday and Dec. 25, by the EO Media Group, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, OR. Postmaster: send address changes to East Oregonian, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801. 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Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: 541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com Multimedia Consultants • Jeanne Jewett 541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com • Terri Briggs 541-278-2678 • tbriggs@eastoregonian.com • Dayle Stinson 541-966-0806 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com • Stephanie Newsom 541-278-2687 • snewsom@eastoregonian.com • Audra Workman 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com • Chris McClellan 541-966-0802 • cmcclellan@eastoregonian.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES Local home delivery Savings off cover price EZPay $14.50 41 percent 52 weeks $173.67 41 percent 26 weeks $91.86 38 percent 13 weeks $47.77 36 percent *EZ Pay = one-year rate with a monthly credit or debit card/check charge www.eastoregonian.com Single copy price: $1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: Mike Jensen 541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group REGIONAL CITIES Forecast THURSDAY TODAY Times of clouds and sun Nice with clouds and sun 63° 43° 69° 46° FRIDAY SATURDAY Breezy with periods of sun SUNDAY Mostly sunny Pleasant with some sun PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 63° 43° 66° 39° 74° 43° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 67° 43° 74° 48° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH LOW 62° 65° 86° (1904) 43° 41° 25° (1924) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.00" 0.37" 1.00" 4.36" 3.02" 5.00" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 65° 68° 84° (2013) 41° 41° 25° (2008) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.00" 0.28" 0.74" 2.98" 1.78" 3.88" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today Last New Apr 29 May 6 5:49 a.m. 7:58 p.m. 12:08 a.m. 9:48 a.m. First Full May 13 72° 38° 78° 42° Seattle 62/45 ALMANAC Yesterday Normals Records 68° 45° May 21 Today Spokane Wenatchee 64/44 67/47 Tacoma Moses 62/40 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 66/42 60/39 59/43 63/39 67/42 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 61/43 63/45 Lewiston 69/42 Astoria 64/45 60/45 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 62/46 Pendleton 52/40 The Dalles 67/43 63/43 65/46 La Grande Salem 57/42 62/44 Albany Corvallis 61/45 61/44 John Day 59/40 Ontario Eugene Bend 66/44 59/43 55/32 Caldwell Burns 64/45 58/33 Astoria Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Enterprise Eugene Heppner Hermiston John Day Klamath Falls La Grande Meacham Medford Newport North Bend Ontario Pasco Pendleton Portland Redmond Salem Spokane Ukiah Vancouver Walla Walla Yakima Hi 60 58 55 56 58 52 59 59 67 59 53 57 55 60 56 57 66 70 63 62 56 62 64 55 60 63 67 Lo 45 36 32 47 33 40 43 40 43 40 31 42 40 44 45 47 44 41 43 46 29 44 44 36 42 45 42 W pc pc sh sh c pc r c c r sh c pc r r r pc pc pc pc sh r pc c pc pc c NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Thu. Hi 59 63 60 62 63 57 63 66 74 63 62 63 61 68 57 60 72 75 69 65 65 66 68 60 64 67 74 Lo 45 34 30 46 32 34 41 41 48 39 29 40 38 43 45 47 45 45 46 45 29 43 45 35 42 48 44 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. W s pc pc s c pc s pc c c pc pc pc s s s c pc pc s pc s pc pc s pc pc WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 68 85 73 52 84 58 52 65 68 74 68 Lo 52 76 52 34 51 49 35 53 48 59 59 W c c pc t pc r t t pc s c Thu. Hi 79 85 70 52 86 62 53 68 70 76 65 Lo 52 72 52 42 51 43 36 53 48 61 58 W pc t s pc pc c sh t pc pc r WINDS Medford 60/44 (in mph) Klamath Falls 53/31 Boardman Pendleton REGIONAL FORECAST Coastal Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. Showers; only in the morning across the north. Eastern and Central Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. Showers around in the south and near the Cascades; rain and drizzle in central parts. Western Washington: Cloudy this morning, then clouds and sun this afternoon; a shower. Eastern Washington: Times of clouds and sun today. Cascades: Cloudy today with a couple of showers. Mostly cloudy tonight. Northern California: A shower and storm in central parts; showers at the coast. Snow, up to an inch in the mountains. Today Thursday WSW 4-8 WSW 4-8 W 4-8 W 6-12 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. 1 2 4 4 3 levels of radioactivity within the annulus of tank AY-101, which is more than 40 years old and contains about 578,000 gallons of waste. They did a video inspec- tion of the annulus and found no evidence of a leak, Fletcher said. “There are a number of potential sources this could come from,” Fletcher said, including a leak that might have so far escaped detec- tion. Fletcher said Hanford oficials will continue to study the problem, but he could offer no deadline for solving the riddle. Hanford Challenge, quoting unnamed sources inside Hanford, said the air monitor recorded above-background levels of Cesium-137 and plutonium in the annulus. The possible failure of a second double-shell tank at Hanford is serious because Hanford is running out of space to store waste from leaking tanks, said Tom Carpenter, director of Hanford Challenge. “There is no other realistic option but to begin building new tanks immediately,” Carpenter said. Those tanks would take several years to build, the group said. Hanford stores about two-thirds of the nation’s high-level nuclear waste, Hanford Challenge said. Dealing with that waste is expected to take decades and cost billions of dollars. The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818. ADVERTISING Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson 541-278-2683 • jperkinson@eastoregonian.com Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — gallons of radioactive waste from its primary tank into the annulus. It was the irst of the 28 double-walled tanks at Hanford to be found to have leaked. That waste is being pumped back into the primary tank. The sprawling Hanford site is located near Rich- land, Washington, and was constructed during World War II to make plutonium, a key ingredient in nuclear weapons. The site is now engaged in cleaning up the leftover waste at a cost of more than $2 billion per year. The most dangerous wastes are stored in 177 underground tanks, most of them old, single-walled tanks, some of which have leaked. The double-walled tanks were presumed to be much safer. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, a frequent Hanford critic, said the situ- ation there was urgent. “In light of today’s developments, I will also be asking the U.S. Government Accountability Ofice to examine what and when DOE knew about the leaks in these tanks, the adequacy of the department’s tank safety efforts and responses to the deteriorating condition of all of the high-level waste tanks,” Wyden said. Fletcher, in a telephone interview with The Associ- ated Press, said air samples checked on April 6 and April 14 showed some elevated 1 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016 -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s flurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: Severe storms, including the risk of tornadoes, will be over most of the Mississippi Valley today. Storms will dot the Southeast; showers will occur in the West and rain will fall over the northern Plains. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 98° in Dryden, Texas Low 15° in Tuolumne Meadows, Calif. NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 70 85 57 62 47 83 63 54 86 77 53 57 83 56 60 80 55 57 86 86 68 86 74 74 82 71 Lo 44 67 46 50 33 66 43 40 66 59 42 43 58 34 41 56 36 35 73 70 58 64 50 55 62 55 W s pc pc c c t pc s pc t r pc pc pc pc s pc c sh t r s t pc t pc Thur. Hi 69 80 56 59 47 83 69 53 84 80 51 54 86 52 54 84 62 56 86 86 75 87 65 67 85 71 Lo 41 64 47 46 33 64 44 42 66 57 43 46 67 35 43 56 35 38 72 71 51 67 47 56 63 56 W t t r r c pc pc s pc t r c pc c r s s c pc pc t pc s sh pc pc Today Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, ME Providence Raleigh Rapid City Reno Sacramento St. Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco Seattle Tucson Washington, DC Wichita Hi 78 80 85 49 57 84 87 63 77 68 65 85 51 59 86 39 57 69 77 58 70 64 62 84 65 62 Lo 63 67 73 39 39 65 73 46 50 48 48 61 29 38 65 27 42 51 61 46 60 52 45 57 53 46 W t t s c r pc t s s r pc s s s t sn sh t t sh pc t pc s c pc Thur. Hi 82 86 87 46 49 86 85 60 76 59 60 76 53 59 80 43 63 80 75 59 69 69 66 78 62 71 Lo 61 63 72 39 41 58 73 47 58 42 49 59 31 40 61 29 40 52 54 43 60 53 47 50 51 51 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W t pc pc r r pc pc c s pc r pc s pc t sn c pc s c c s s sh r s