Davis Statement on $755 Million of Stimulus Dollars going to Oak Ridge for Environmental CleanupMarch 31, 2009

Washington, D.C. Congressman Lincoln Davis, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, released the following statement today on news that Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $6 billion in new funding under ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) to accelerate environment cleanup work and create thousands of jobs across 12 states. A large portion of the $6 billion, $755 million, has been targeted for Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

"The work conducted at Oak Ridge has been and continues to be of vital interest to our national security and economic future. As a new member of the majority party on the Energy Appropriations Subcommittee I will be doing everything within my power to assure that Oak Ridge and the State of Tennessee will continue to have a seat at the table so the scientific research and environmental cleanup continues full steam ahead. The vast amount of dollars coming to the area demonstrates a commitment by the Administration and DOE to accept responsibility of environmental restoration for past undertakings."

Earlier this morning, DOE announced $755 million will be flowing to Oak Ridge under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Specifically, these funds will go to the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 sites, accelerate demolition and disposal of remaining uranium enrichment plant buildings, surplus Manhattan Project era buildings, and highly contaminated uranium processing buildings, and perform soil remediation to protect area groundwater. Accelerate cleanup of the most significant sources of off-site mercury release to East Fork Poplar Creek to prevent further contamination of the area.