For decades, a wide array of groups have had representatives on the Hanford Advisory Board. They’ve provided input on a variety of issues around the cleanup of waste and contamination from the nuclear reservation in central-southeast Washington.

Now, the Department of Energy under President Trump is curtailing the board.

The advisory board is going from 70 members, including alternates, to 20. The new members will be selected by the government, and any group members or representatives of tribal nations will no longer speak for a constituency but only for themselves.

Critics say these changes will reduce representation and accountability, while the DOE says the changes standardize the board and “enhance engagement with those that live closest to Hanford.”

We talk with Senior Correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting Anna King, who’s covered the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup for the last 20 years, to learn more about the impact of this change.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/18/think-out-loud-federal-overhaul-hanford-nuclear-cleanup-board/