Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 14, 2002
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
The governor made his remarks today after a tour of the Hanford nuclear waste facilities with local officials.
Locke received briefings on various cleanup-related sites from Hanford officials Keith Kline, Harry Boston, Marla Marvin and Greg Jones, Bechtel’s Mike Hughes and Jim Betts, Fluor Hanford’s Dave Van Lueven and CH2M HILL’s Ed Aromi.
Last week, the Bush Administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2003. The budget proposal would cut $300 million from cleanup efforts at Hanford.
Noting the significant cleanup progress that already has been made at Hanford, Locke warned against slowing cleanup operations.
“I’m very concerned that for the second year in a row, the Bush Administration is proposing to cut the Hanford cleanup budget,” said Locke. “This is not the place to cut corners. The cleanup of Hanford is the number one priority.”
Construction of a vitrification plant for conversion of radioactive waste into glass is in jeopardy. A vitrification plant also would serve to clean up other areas of the Hanford site and then convert them to industrial parks, brownfields or conservation sites.
Locke plans to meet with U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham later this month in Washington, D.C. The governor will reaffirm to the secretary that “less cleanup or a lower cleanup standard is unacceptable – the bottom line is the certainty and adequacy of Hanford cleanup.”
Related Links:
- U.S. Department of Energy
- The White House/President George W. Bush
- U.S. Department of Energy, Hanford Site
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 14, 2002
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Locke pushes for continued federal funding commitment to Hanford cleanup
RICHLAND – Citing the need for continued nuclear waste cleanup at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford site, Gov. Gary Locke today urged the Bush Administration to rethink its proposal to strip funding from the Hanford cleanup budget.The governor made his remarks today after a tour of the Hanford nuclear waste facilities with local officials.
Locke received briefings on various cleanup-related sites from Hanford officials Keith Kline, Harry Boston, Marla Marvin and Greg Jones, Bechtel’s Mike Hughes and Jim Betts, Fluor Hanford’s Dave Van Lueven and CH2M HILL’s Ed Aromi.
Last week, the Bush Administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2003. The budget proposal would cut $300 million from cleanup efforts at Hanford.
Noting the significant cleanup progress that already has been made at Hanford, Locke warned against slowing cleanup operations.
“I’m very concerned that for the second year in a row, the Bush Administration is proposing to cut the Hanford cleanup budget,” said Locke. “This is not the place to cut corners. The cleanup of Hanford is the number one priority.”
Construction of a vitrification plant for conversion of radioactive waste into glass is in jeopardy. A vitrification plant also would serve to clean up other areas of the Hanford site and then convert them to industrial parks, brownfields or conservation sites.
Locke plans to meet with U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham later this month in Washington, D.C. The governor will reaffirm to the secretary that “less cleanup or a lower cleanup standard is unacceptable – the bottom line is the certainty and adequacy of Hanford cleanup.”
Related Links:
- U.S. Department of Energy
- The White House/President George W. Bush
- U.S. Department of Energy, Hanford Site
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