"Mother Lode of Chromium at Hanford Excavated"

"The largest source of chromium contamination near the Columbia River at Hanford has been removed after workers dug up contaminated soil down to groundwater 85 feet deep.

Over the years Hanford officials had talked about finding the mother lode of chromium in the soil that was contaminating groundwater near the former D and DR Reactors and then the river, said Mark French, Department of Energy project director for the work.

'Once we started digging, it became obvious this was it,' he said. It was the largest source of chromium contamination near the Columbia River, he said."

Annette Cary reports for the Tri-City Herald May 31, 2014.