Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement Wednesday in response to the White House's amended funding proposal for cleaning up radioactive waste at the Hanford nuclear site. The administration 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.
The governor wrote the administration warning of the impacts of the potential budget cuts in May, and visited Hanford last week to push for more funding as well.
“I am deeply grateful to President Biden for today’s announcement that his administration will request an additional $191 million for the Hanford Cleanup in Fiscal Year 2023. By taking this action, the president has signaled an end to the cycle of presidential administrations cutting Hanford funding and placing the burden on Congress and Washington state. The president’s announcement is a significant victory for Washington state.
"Last week, when I visited Hanford, I saw the opportunity for great progress at the Hanford site – because I also saw that we have an enormous amount of work to do. I am heartened by the commitment I saw in the Tri-Cities to work together to get this cleanup on track, including through significant additional funding from the federal government. Today shows these communities' voices are being heard in Washington, D.C.
"I am hopeful that today’s announcement represents the beginning of a sustained commitment to adequately funding Hanford cleanup in the 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. I look forward to working with the president and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to build on today’s progress.”
"I would like to thank Washington state’s entire congressional delegation for their advocacy on Hanford cleanup, especially Sen. Patty Murray for her indispensable leadership in the Senate to help achieve this outcome.
"I’m also very grateful to the incredible Hanford workforce for the progress they've forged and to voices from across the state and the Tri-Cities community who share in the commitment for a safe, effective, and efficient cleanup of the Hanford site. I'm thankful as well for the partnership from the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency to make that possible."
"Let’s get to work.”