The Environmental Sciences Section conducts radiological surveys in many areas of the state. Monitoring and assessment is conducted at facilities which have radioactive material and have the potential to release radioactive material to the environment. Most facilities using radioactive material do not have that potential, so no monitoring outside of the facility is necessary, although monitoring will be done on site. It is important to note that while the potential exists for off-site releases, this very rarely happens.
Currently the Environmental Sciences Section monitors at the following facilities:
- Dawn Mining Company A uranium mill undergoing decommissioning. No processing is being done now.
- Areva NP - Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Facility
- Unitech Services Group
- Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
- Hanford Nuclear Site
- Energy Northwest Columbia Generating Station
- Decommissioned Trojan Nuclear Reactor Site (still spent fuel on site)