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Murray Secures $62 Million to Help PNNL Relocate 300 Area FacilitiesMurray included $27 Million over the President's Budget proposal in the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations bill
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray helped advance $62 million to enable the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to relocate critical facilities that must be moved because they are in the path of cleanup in Hanford's 300 Area. This funding was included in the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Sub-Committee, of which Murray is a senior member. This funding is in addition to funds secured by Senator Murray two weeks ago in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill, bringing the total amount funded in FY08 to $77 Million. Funding Profile Department of Energy, Office of Science – $45 Million Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration – $17 Million Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - $15 Million
PNNL is in the process of relocating out of facilities that are being decommissioned and demolished as part of the Hanford 300 Area cleanup. Under a memorandum of understanding, the relocation costs to move out of 300 Area facilities will be funded by three federal agencies: Two agencies in the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Working to Preserve the Use Permit In addition to her work to adequately fund replacement facilities, Senator Murray also inserted key language in the bill to preserve PNNL's Use Permit. The Use Permit is a tool unique to PNNL among DOE's national labs which allows PNNL to provide excess lab capacity to private researchers. Senator Murray's language ensures that the Use Permit is preserved both during the bidding of PNNL's contract, and will be retained in the bid that is awarded the management contract for the lab. Senator Murray, along with members of the Washington state delegation, also sent a letter to DOE Deputy Secretary Clay Sell in support of the Use Permit. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill will next move to the full Appropriations Committee for debate later this week. It will then move to the Senate Floor for deliberation.
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