10 U.S.C. § 6202: Hanford waste tank cleanup…

§6202 Hanford Waste Tank Cleanup Program Reforms

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART VI — ELEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER MATTERS › Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense › CHAPTER 604 — DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP MATTERS › SUBCHAPTER III — HANFORD RESERVATION, WASHINGTON › § 6202

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates an Office of River Protection at the Hanford Reservation in Richland, Washington. A senior Department of Energy official must lead the office and report to the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. The leader must run the River Protection Project, including Hanford Tank Farm work and the Waste Treatment Plant. The Assistant Secretary must give a written delegation of management powers for contracting, money, safety, and program oversight like other DOE operations offices. The leader must coordinate with the Richland Operations Office manager, and the Secretary must give needed staff and funds. The Assistant Secretary must tell the Senate and House Armed Services Committees in writing about any changes to the office’s roles or reporting. The office ends on September 30, 2024, but can keep working past that date if the Assistant Secretary says in writing that ending it would hurt management.

Title 10, §6202

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment of Office of River Protection.—

The Secretary of Energy shall establish an office at the Hanford Reservation, Richland, Washington, to be known as the “Office of River Protection” (in this section referred to as the “Office”).

(b)Management and Responsibilities of Office.—

(1)The Office shall be headed by a senior official of the Department of Energy, who shall report to the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management.

(2)The head of the Office shall be responsible for managing all aspects of the River Protection Project, Richland, Washington, including Hanford Tank Farm operations and the Waste Treatment Plant.

(3)(A)The Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management shall delegate in writing responsibility for the management of the River Protection Project, Richland, Washington, to the head of the Office.

(B)Such delegation shall include, at a minimum, authorities for contracting, financial management, safety, and general program management that are equivalent to the authorities of managers of other operations offices of the Department of Energy.

(C)The head of the Office shall, to the maximum extent possible, coordinate all activities of the Office with the manager of the Richland Operations Office of the Department of Energy.

(c)Department Responsibilities.—

The Secretary shall provide the head of the Office with the resources and personnel necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (b)(2).

(d)Notification.—

The Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives written notification detailing any changes in the roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships that involve the Office.

(e)Termination.—

The Office shall terminate on September 30, 2024. The Office may be extended beyond that date if the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management determines in writing that termination would disrupt effective management of the Hanford Tank Farm operations.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 6202 was renumbered section 8282 of this title. Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2622 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(d)(2)(B), realigned margins.