Proposed nuclear plant cleanup cuts hurt states, senators say

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration's proposed cuts in nuclear weapons plant cleanup go too deep, some Senate Republicans said yesterday.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said he agreed with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham's goal of finding ways to improve the complicated, costly cleanups in the future. However, "What we cannot deal with are dramatic cuts in current programs," he said.

Lawmakers from Ohio and other states that are part of the nuclear weapons complex have been generally dissatisfied with the spending plan for cleaning the sites of chemical and radioactive waste and in some cases, spent nuclear fuel.

The proposal trimmed cleanup from the current level of more than $6.2 billion to about $5.9 billion for fiscal 2002.

Craig said he's concerned that the administration's proposed cuts might leave the federal government unable meet specific cleanup goals and deadlines negotiated with the states.

"I'm not prepared to say that any compliance will not be met," replied Abraham, who appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to explain – and at times, defend – his 2002 budget priorities.

Under the proposal, the budget of a former weapons plant in Miamisburg, Ohio, would be cut from about $91 million this year to $71 million.

Efforts are under way to find about $1 billion to add to next year's spending on cleanup and other nuclear programs, but there's no definite agreement, said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

His state would be among those losing money if the administration gets the cleanup funding levels it requested in the Energy Department budget.

New Mexico's cleanup budget would drop to $309 million from $367 million.

Craig's state would lose, too. The administration has requested $547 million for cleanup in 2002 Idaho, down from $637 million this year.