VIDEO: HANFORD: Murray Restores Millions in Hanford Budget Cuts in 2015 Spending Bill

Murray: “I stood up and fought back” after Administration proposed cuts to Hanford cleanup

“A critical win for Hanford and our entire state”

VIDEO: Earlier this year, Murray pushed back on Obama Administration after they proposed nearly $100 million in Hanford cuts

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she has secured critical federal funding for Washington state in 2015, including over $2 billion for Hanford cleanup. Earlier this year, Sen. Murray expressed strong concern with the President’s 2015 budget proposal, which included millions in Hanford cuts, and pushed to restore the funding levels in the spending bill released last night. The bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives and the Senate in the coming days.

The 2015 omnibus appropriations bill  was made possible by the bipartisan budget deal that Senator Murray reached last December with U.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) that prevented another government shutdown, rolled back cuts to investments in education, research, and jobs—and restored certainty to the federal budget process. 

“I stood up and fought back after the Administration’s budget included millions in cuts to Hanford funding, and I am so proud that this bill restores those critical investments,” said Senator Murray.  “I have made it clear that I expect the federal government to meet its legal obligations and milestones at defense environmental cleanup sites, particularly Hanford.  This cleanup work is one of Washington state’s most important environmental priorities, and while this funding is another step in the right direction, I am going to keep working with the community to move the Hanford cleanup project forward and I will continue fighting for the federal investments it needs.  The funding secured in this bill is a critical ‘win’ for Hanford and our entire state.”

A list of Hanford funding secured by Senator Murray is below:

$2.153 billion for nuclear waste cleanup at Hanford, an increase of $69.9 million above the President’s FY 2015 budget request

• $941 million for Richland Operations, an increase of $92.9 million above the President’s FY 2015 budget request and equal to the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

  • Central Plateau Remediation — $543.5 million
  • River Corridor and Other Cleanup Operations — $377.8 million
  • Richland Operations Community & Regulatory Support — $19.7 million

•  $1.212 billion for Office of River Protection, a decrease of $23 million from the President’s FY 2015 budget request

  • Waste Treatment Plant — $667 million
  • Tank Farm Activities — $545 million

• $2.6 million for Fast Flux Test Reactor Facility (WA)