Washington initiative blocks further nuke-waste dumping at Hanford
By a more than a 2-to-1 margin, Washington state voters passed Initiative 297, which blocks the U.S. Department of Energy from sending more nuclear waste to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the southern part of the state until current waste at the former nuclear-weapons facility is fully cleaned up. The measure is scheduled to take effect in 30 days. Opponents say it will threaten the $2 billion in federal money earmarked for Hanford cleanup, and vow to challenge the initiative in court.
