Biden’s Hanford reversal pleases Inslee
By Terry Murry on Friday, June 10th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has responded to the White House’s amended funding proposal for cleaning up radioactive waste at the Hanford nuclear site. The Biden administration has reversed course on a proposed $172 million funding cut and now proposes increased spending on the cleanup site by more than $18 million in the next fiscal year.
Inslee said he’s deeply grateful to President Biden for announcing this week that his administration will request an additional $191 million for the Hanford clean in fiscal year 2023. The governor also said he’s hopeful that the recent announcement represents the beginning of a sustained commitment to adequately fund the Hanford cleanup for years to come.
“We continue to believe that the president’s fiscal year 2024 budget request must bring us much, much closer to a figure that complies with the terms of our legal agreements with the federal government,” Inslee said.
The governor said he is also grateful to the Hanford workers and the Tri-Cities community for their commitment for a safe, effective, and efficient cleanup of the Hanford site, along with the partnership from the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency.
