For Immediate Release:

Thursday, June 9, 2005

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today announced that she has secured $2.25 million for the Hanford Reach Visitor Center. The Center will be dedicated to telling the rich history of the Hanford Reach area and inform visitors of all the recreational opportunities of the broader region.

“As a longtime supporter of the protection of the Hanford Reach, I am pleased to have secured these funds for the Visitor Center,” Senator Murray said. “From its pristine natural beauty to the salmon that spawn in its waters to its strong Native American history, the Hanford Reach is a unique American resource. The Visitor Center will help tell the story of the Hanford reach to travelers from across the country.”

Senator Murray has worked on protection of the Hanford Reach since she was elected to the U.S. Senate. She was instrumental in the designation of the National Monument and has since worked to ensure the community’s participation in management of the area.

Last year, Senator Murray secured $750,000 for the Visitor's Center in the Interior Appropriations bill and $1 million through her role as ranking member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.

The $2.25 million in funding secured by Murray passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today and will now go to the full Senate for consideration.