(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) a senior member of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Committee, announced that she has worked to secure another clear and consistent budget for Hanford cleanup for Fiscal Year 2011. Murray’s announcement comes during a very difficult budget year and means that work to continue to clean up the nation’s most contaminated nuclear site can go forward without cutbacks. Senator Murray has been the lead advocate in the U.S. Senate for consistent and adequate budgets for Environmental Management and Hanford cleanup.

“This is a big victory for cleanup at time when budgets are stretched very thin,” said Senator Murray. “I’ve worked to make it clear that funding Hanford cleanup is our moral and legal obligation and not a luxury that can be targeted for cuts. This is the kind of consistent budget we need each year to deliver on cleanup goals, keep workers on the job, and honor the sacrifices of the Tri-Cities community.”

Senator Murray has been clear with the Obama Administration that she expects, and will work for, consistent yearly funding for Hanford cleanup. After including nearly $2 billion for Hanford cleanup in the Economic Recovery Act, Senator Murray has worked for budgets that meeting cleanup goals will require adequate budgets on a yearly basis.

Last year, after confronting Energy Secretary Steven Chu at an Energy and Water hearing on the need for budgets that meet cleanup goals, Murray secured $2,095,732,000 for Hanford funding - $87 million more than President’s Fiscal Year 2010 request. This year Senator Murray improved upon the Fiscal Year 2010 budget by over $56 million.

The 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill passed the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee today and will be considered by the full Appropriations Committee on Thursday.

FUNDING LEVELS FOR HANFORD CLEANUP IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2011 ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL:

TOTAL HANFORD FUNDING: $2,177,107,000 --$56,027,000 over FY 2010 enacted
Office of River Protection: $1,158,178,000

Hanford Site (RL): $1,018,929,000 - $50 million above the President’s request