The Department of Energy’s $8.2-billion fiscal 2027 request for its nuclear cleanup branch, which includes a budget cut for the Hanford Site in Washington state, would not affect solidification of less radioactive tank waste, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright told a House panel Wednesday.
During an exchange with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Wright said the proposed $2.9 billion budget request for Hanford, $390-million less than the enacted level for fiscal 2026, would primarily affect facilities that are not yet fully designed.
The decrease “relates to the unobligated balances for partially-designed facilities, so that does not impact the vitrification plant,” Newhouse asked. “It does not,” the energy secretary said.
Wright testified on behalf of the White House’s DOE budget request before the House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee.
In other words, it will not affect the Direct-Feed-Low-Activity-Waste Facilities at the Bechtel-built Waste Treatment Plant at Hanford. After decades of planning and work, crews started converting some of the low-level radioactive tank waste to a solid glass form in October.
Newhouse, who is not seeking re-election, said it is critical for DOE to meet its legal cleanup milestones at Hanford.
On another topic, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) urged Wright to look into the scattered land ownership pattern for Idaho National Laboratory. DOE does not own all of the 890-square-mile INL site. Much of the land is owned by the Interior Department. Simpson said there is a similar situation at the Hanford Site. Wright said he would reach out to the Interior Department and part of the ownership situation dates back to railroad construction days.
On a separate issue, Simpson encouraged Wright to pay attention to recent detection of unauthorized wireless devices in “secure areas” of DOE facilities. Wright said DOE was aware of the issue and looking into it.