SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson is sending the U.S. Dept. of Energy, and its contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), a Notice of Endangerment and Intent to Sue. Ferguson seeks to protect workers at the federal Hanford Nuclear Reservation from hazardous chemical vapors that continue to jeopardize worker health and safety.

Negotiators from Washington state and the federal government have agreed to extend the 40-day dispute resolution period triggered under a 2010 court order to clean up high-level radioactive and chemically hazardous waste at Hanford.

Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced they are triggering dispute resolution after the federal government Friday formally rejected Washington state’s plan to amend a 2010 consent decree governing the retrieval and treatment of high-level radioactive and chemically hazardous waste at Hanford

Attorney General Bob Ferguson made the following statement regarding his meeting this morning with Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz and Governor Jay Inslee regarding progress on Hanford cleanup.