Bechtel Hanford Inc. has topped its own performance marks again.

The Hanford contractor handling environmental restoration responsibilities received its 10th straight "outstanding" rating from its boss, the Department of Energy. That's the highest rating possible for a performance review.

That rating, which covers performance in the recently completed fiscal year, kicks in a $10.35 million bonus for the company, which has been a DOE contractor since 1993.

The bonus equates to 97.6 percent of what the company could have earned if it had received the highest rating possible. That's the best rating the company ever has received from DOE. Last year, the company's rating was 92.8 percent, Bechtel's best-ever marks at the time.

"It is hard to top," said Steve Liedle, Bechtel's outgoing president. "This has just been a gangbuster year."

The review comes despite month-old allegations the company mishandled a gallon of hazardous chemical waste and wasn'tforthright in dealing with regulators about the issue this fall.

Bechtel, which now says it agrees with the allegations, sent a corrective action plan to regulators last week and could face fines totaling as much as $150,000.

But officially speaking, DOE is plenty happy with Bechtel's performance for the past fiscal year and its improved performance since it came to Hanford.

"Some of the most visible progress to date has been achieved in the last year," DOE Hanford Manager Keith Klein wrote in a letter to Bechtel. "BHI's performance ... was the best since inception of the contract work in 1994, and clearly demonstrates that BHI has mastered processes for getting the work done while also maintaining proper focus on safety and other important issues."

Among other accomplishments throughout the year, Bechtel processed 700,000 tons of contaminated material, moving it to the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility. It also began testing processes that will allow for the disposal of 1,100 drums of uranium chips and oil buried in the 300 Area.