KENNEWICK — Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington is worried about an Obama administration proposal to reduce the budget for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
Cantwell on Wednesday told Treasury Secretary Jack Lew that Hanford cleanup needs to be a priority in the budget.
The Tri-City Herald reports Lew testified Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee.
Cantwell says Hanford is the largest environmental cleanup project in the world and needs continued support.
The administration has proposed a $190 million budget cut for the Department of Energy Richland Operations Office in fiscal 2017.
But the budget also includes an $86 million increase for the DOE Office of River Protection, which is responsible for radioactive waste stored in underground tanks.
