The 2000 International Aerial Robotics Competition will be hosted by the Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) facility adjacent to the Hanford Nuclear site in June of 2000.

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Richland Operations Office manages the Department's Hanford Site, which is located near Richland, Washington, in the Southeastern portion of the State. The 1,465 square kilometer (560 square mile) site supports programs in waste management, environmental restoration, science and energy.

Hanford was established in secrecy during the Second World War to produce plutonium for America's nuclear weapons. Peak production years were reached in the 1960s when nine production reactors were in operation at the Site. All weapons material production was halted in the late 1980s and the Site is now engaged in the world's largest environmental cleanup project.

The HAMMER Training and Education Center is brand new, being dedicated on September 26, of 1997. It contains numerous real-world "props" including such things as: overturned rail tank cars, broken water mains, smoke/fog generators, burning: ground, pipes, buildings, gas tanks, and trucks.

At least five acres of the HAMMER site will be set aside for the competition. Teams arriving early can practice in the area near the facility, but the actual runs will only occur on the functional props during the competition since the facility is used for training during the regular work week.

The HAMMER facility is located north of Richland, Washington. The towns of Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland combine to form the Tri Cities area which can be accessed by road, air (Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco), and rail.