PORTLAND, Ore. – Columbia Riverkeeper has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) related to the “Cleanup to Clean Energy Initiative” at the Hanford Nuclear Site.
The lawsuit, filed on June 16, 2025, accuses the DOE of not complying with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Columbia Riverkeeper said in a release.
The initiative calls for leasing 19,000 acres at Hanford for clean energy development, potentially incorporating new nuclear-energy infrastructure.
According to the complaint, Columbia Riverkeeper initially filed a FOIA request in June 2024, seeking transparency on the Hanford Initiative. Despite attempts to clarify the request, DOE has neither provided documents nor set a date for compliance, violating FOIA’s 20-day response requirement, the suit alleges.
Simone Anter, senior attorney and Hanford program director for Columbia Riverkeeper, expressed concern about the current administration’s impact on cleanup efforts, stating, “The Trump administration has slashed funding for Hanford cleanup, threatening to undermine critical efforts to restore the land and waters at and around Hanford.”
Jamie Saul, Executive Director of the Wild & Scenic Law Center and legal representative for Riverkeeper, emphasized the importance of transparency, saying, “FOIA requires transparency from our federal agencies, and it codifies a national policy in favor of disclosure of government records.”
The case is filed in the U.S. District Court of Oregon, with DOE given 30 days to respond.
