President Obama's Hanford Budget Comes Under Fire From Local Legislators

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By Chelsea Kopta

Summary

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu rolled out the agency's budget Thursday and local leaders fear there could be big holes.

Story Published: May 7, 2009 at 5:08 PM PST

RICHLAND -- There's some good news and some bad news about President Barack Obama's budget.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu rolled out the agency's budget Thursday and local leaders fear there could be big holes.

But at least we're far away from the days when Obama didn't even know what Hanford was.

"Here's something you will rarely hear from a politician: and that is, I am not familiar with the Hanford site," Obama said at a town hall campaign stop in Pendleton, OR last year.

"I think he's starting to learn that Hanford - all of the weapons complex sites are important," Gary Petersen said, Tri City Development Council (TRIDEC) Vice President of Hanford Programs.

So DOE leaders are sticking to their committment with some Hanford programs.

The Office of River Protection will get $88 million for the Waste Treatment Plant. Cash will also come to the River Corridor.

"Both of those are good for Office of River Protection now we just have to make sure that the Richland Operations office keeps the same," Petersen said.

Overall budget numbers show a sharp decline with the Central Plateau taking the biggest hit. The President is hacking about $70 million.

"It's one that I'm sure Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and Doc Hastings are not going to let slide by," Petersen said.

And they aren't. Local leaders said that by getting a couple billion in stimulus money, other dollars are being shaved off the yearly budget.

Congressman Doc Hastings wrote this statement: "Stimulus funds were never meant to be used as a substitute for annual cleanup budgets."

Senator Patty Murray agreed. She wrote: "The President's Hanford budget simply doesn't cut it...I called Energy Secretary Chu and made clear that this budget is a non-starter."

Petersen said the President's 2010 budget could also impact the workforce but he doesn't expect layoffs.

"The nation has the obligation to clean up these sites whether they really want to or not," Petersen said.

We know now that Hanford is on Obama's map. But the big promises to bring more cash to the site are, so far, falling short.

Action News also called Senator Maria Cantwell's office for a statement. She did not get us one before air time. But don't raise the alarm bells just yet. This still has to go through the House and Senate where our federal legislators will weigh in some more.

Hopefully, they'll have a budget approved by this fall and it will include more money for Hanford cleanup