PORTLAND -- The Hanford Advisory Board wants to add contaminated ground water to the contract for cleaning up old reactors and other Cold War remnants along the Columbia River.

The board approved Friday sending a letter to the Department of Energy that voices that stance, plus provides other advice on cleaning up the river corridor through Hanford.

DOE is putting together a request for proposals for a long-term contract for final cleanup of the river corridor area, which is suppose to cost about $2.76 billion and take until 2012.

This new agreement will replace Bechtel Hanford's current environmental restoration contract that is due to expire next year.

DOE has unveiled a draft request for proposals to get feedback from potential bidders and the public.

A final request for proposals is expected on Jan. 23, 2002.

Bids are tentatively due back by April 1.

DOE hopes to award the new contract in mid- to late summer, with the new contractor set up by Oct. 1.

The draft request for proposals covers removing contaminated soils; demolishing, cleaning out and sealing up the defunct plutonium production reactors; and cleaning up and demolishing the 300 Area structures.

The draft does not cover dealing with the plumes of contaminants in the aquifer, which are flowing from Hanford's interior to the Columbia River.

"How can you call it a closure contract when ground water is not included in it?" asked HAB member Bob Larson, representing the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments.

In its letter to DOE, the Hanford Advisory Board said:

-- Ground water clean up should be included, or at least the agreement shouldn't be described as a complete cleanup of the river corridor area.

-- The new contract should mesh with Tri-Party Agreement deadlines and standards. DOE already agrees, said Beth Bilson, DOE's assistant manager for the river corridor at Hanford.

-- Talks should be held to determine how the river corridor stacks up against Hanford's other spending priorities, including the tank farms, K Basins, Plutonium Finishing Plant and ground water work.

-- More information on some contamination problems is needed to make accurate cost predictions.