Published: Monday, February 13, 2012
Hanford cleanup budget proposed for $2.1 billion
RICHLAND -- President Barack Obama has proposed spending more than $2.1 billion for cleanup at the nation's most contaminated nuclear site in fiscal year 2013.
That's about the same amount of money to be spent at south-central Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation in fiscal year 2012.
However, the amount of money spent annually to build a waste treatment plant there would decline from $740 million to $690 million.
The $12.3 billion plant is being built to convert highly radioactive waste into glasslike logs for permanent disposal. Some workers have raised concerns about the potential for flammable gases to build up and for pipes and vessels to corrode inside the plant.
According to budget documents, the spending reduction for the plant is to allow for those technical questions to be resolved.
That's about the same amount of money to be spent at south-central Washington's Hanford nuclear reservation in fiscal year 2012.
However, the amount of money spent annually to build a waste treatment plant there would decline from $740 million to $690 million.
The $12.3 billion plant is being built to convert highly radioactive waste into glasslike logs for permanent disposal. Some workers have raised concerns about the potential for flammable gases to build up and for pipes and vessels to corrode inside the plant.
According to budget documents, the spending reduction for the plant is to allow for those technical questions to be resolved.
Comments
(