Heart of America Northwest's research and advocacy on how stimulus dollars are being spent at Hanford - while USDOE wants to delay schedules - is featured in today's article by top investigative reporter Eric Nalder on PI.com and Hearst newspapers.Executive Director, Gerry Pollet quoted: Pollet also said that although he was pleased that cleanup work along the Columbia River will be accelerated, questions about the use of the stimulus money remain. For one thing, he said the DOE received the extra money at a time when it was obtaining permission from the state to delay the completion date for the Hanford cleanup project.
"While we are spending $2 billion extra on accelerating cleanup, the energy department is insisting on relaxing enforceable schedules," he said.
Read the full article.
It would be great if an extra stimulus amount was given to the clean-up productions of Hanford, with the addition of more workers and better environmental technology. However, if the extra funds aren't going towards the clean-up itself, it really isn't doing the cause any good. Billions have already been spent on the clean-up project, with the deadlines being pushed farther and farther back.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to me that such a huge chunk of stimulus dollars were allocated for an area of the state that has a steady economy. Hanford clean-up is keeping the Tri-Cities' economy churning.
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