More nuclear cleanup funds promised

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2002

The Department of Energy on Wednesday said it would ask for an additional $433 million to clean up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington.

The original fiscal year 2003 request was $1.46 billion. This proposal came under criticism from state officials and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

The new request would restore funding to about $2 billion. The department says this would speed up the cleanup process by at least 35 years.

The reservation is built on former tribal land still used by area tribes for gathering and other purposes.

Relevant Links:
Revised tribal policy, Department of Energy - http://www.hanford.gov/doe/inp/proginfo.htm
Indian Nations Program, Hanford Site - http://www.hanford.gov/doe/inp/index.htm
Cultural and Historic Resource Program, Hanford Site - http://www.hanford.gov/doe/culres/native.html
Tribal Nations Involvement, Office of Environmental Management - http://www.em.doe.gov/em22/tribindx.html