Researching Hanford

Virtual Tours

Experience virtual tours of the Hanford Site to learn more about the history of the project.

• Hanford Site Tour
• B-Reactor Tour
• T-Plant Tour

Documentaries

Documentaries and videos ranging from several minutes to one hour in length that offer comprehensive coverage—both overview and detailed insights—on the history of the Hanford site.

• The Hanford Story (DOE)
• Secret Mission: Hanford (PBS)
• Historical Videos Series (Richland CityView TV and The Oregon Experience)
• Arid Lands (Bullfrog Films)

Photo Gallery

Collections of historical photographs (1894–1945).

• "Hanford History"  (WSU)
• "Settlers" (The Hanford Site)
• The Manhattan Project-Hanford Engineer Works (REACH Museum)

This is a list of government agencies that have been involved with the Hanford Site from its inception to the present day.

Federal

• US Army Corps of Engineers' Manhattan Engineer District (1943-1946)
  • Established the Hanford Engineer Works in 1943 under the Manhattan Project, led by Colonel Franklin T. Matthias, to build the first full-scale plutonium production reactor for atomic weapons during WWII. The district oversaw the forced relocation of over 1,500 people, including the Wanapum tribe, farmers, and ranchers and completed the construction of 554 buildings within 2.5 years. DuPont served as the primary construction and operations contractor, overseeing plant design, construction, and completed the first reactor (B Reactor) in September 1944.
• Office of Scientific Research & Development (1942-1946) 
  • Played a crucial role in coordinating scientific research on plutonium and worked with the Manhattan Engineer District to develop nuclear technology.
• Atomic Energy Commission (1946-1975)
  • Assumed control of the Hanford Site in December 1946 until 1975. The Hanford Site became a major Cold War production facility, and during this period, the AEC oversaw the construction of nine nuclear reactors and five plutonium processing complexes.
• Environmental Protection Agency (1970-present day)
  • Assumed responsibility for oversight of environmental protection at Hanford in 1970 under federal environmental law. Currently ensuring compliance with hazardous waste standards, monitoring and treating contaminated of groundwater, testing key safety systems. 
• Energy Research & Development Administration (1975-1977)
  • Established in 1975 and served as a bridge agency between the AEC and DOE. 
• Department of Energy (1977-present)
  • Became responsible for site management of Hanford in 1977, overseeing the largest environmental cleanup effort in the nation. Facilities currently hosted on the site include the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Columbia Generating Station--the only operating nuclear power plant in the Northwest. 
• National Park Service (2015-present)
  • Manages elements of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Hanford and provides public access to historical site facilities. 

State

• Washington State Department of Ecology (1970-present)
  • Established alongside EPA oversight in 1970, the Department of Ecology collaborates with federal agencies in regulating and overseeing cleanup of Hanford’s hazardous and radioactive waste.

Tribal Nations

• Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation
  • The Yakama Nation is deeply invested in advocacy and oversight around the Hanford Site, which is located on their ancestral homelands along the Columbia River. The Nation has continuously pushed for a thorough cleanup of toxic nuclear waste to protect their people, environment, and traditional resources, voicing concerns about health risks, cultural losses, and broken treaty promises. Leaders have pointed out that the Hanford site contains sacred areas and historical fishing and hunting grounds, emphasizing that the land has been central to Yakama life since time immemorial. Their efforts include official participation in federal cleanup decisions and successful actions to block the dumping of additional waste at Hanford, all in pursuit of restoring and safeguarding their heritage
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 
  • The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) signed an 1850s treaty with the United States, reserving rights to hunt, fish, and gather in their “usual and accustomed places,” which include the area now known as the Hanford Site. To inform cleanup planning at Hanford, CTUIR developed the Exposure Scenario for CTUIR Traditional Subsistence Lifeways, a framework that guides federal agencies to evaluate the impacts of contamination and cleanup actions based on traditional tribal land uses rather than solely on recreational or industrial uses. This ensures that CTUIR’s traditional activities are considered in decisions about site restoration.
• Nez Perce Tribe
  • The Nez Perce Tribe, under the 1855 Treaty's “usual and accustomed” provisions, retains rights to hunt, fish, and gather at the Hanford site, a historic central use area for Columbia River Plateau tribes. Federal actions and laws have reaffirmed the Nez Perce Tribe’s ongoing involvement in decisions and activities at Hanford. The tribe's Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM) program participates directly in cleanup, provides guidance on future land use, maintains a cleanup-tracking database, conducts public outreach, supports youth STEM education, and contributes to the Hanford Natural Resource Damage Assessment to protect and restore both cultural and natural resources affected by site contamination.
• Wanapum Band
  • The Wanapum Band, despite their longstanding connection to the Hanford Site, remains without federal recognition, limiting their formal role in decision-making processes. Their traditional lands included fishing sites and camps along the Columbia River shoreline within the Hanford reservation, and they were forcibly relocated west of the site to the Priest Rapids area during Hanford’s establishment. Through dedicated and strategic efforts, the Wanapum have established relationships with federal, state, and local agencies. The Wanapum Interface Office actively stays informed about environmental policy standards and regional regulatory requirements related to Hanford’s cleanup. They work to maintain strong partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as other Northwest tribes, to protect Wanapum interests amid regulatory pressures around environmental remediation and land access.