Will the Environmental Management (EM) budget request contain performance metrics for base funding and ARRA money?
Performance metrics for base funding have been previously included in the annual budget request. The ARRA funds and performance metrics should also be included for the new request so that Congress and the public can understand the required funding and performance metrics for all of EM’s work. This is consistent with the transparency and accountability commitments made by the Obama Administration. Hanford High-Level Waste Tanks are still leaking and under funded. DOE is seeking to extend the deadlines for emptying Hanford’s Single Shell Tanks by 22 years to the year 2040. DOE claims that retrieval of these wastes is a top priority, yet is not matching rhetoric with funding to complete the task earlier. With Yucca Mountain declared “dead”, will funding be terminated? President Obama has promised to terminate Yucca Mountain as a geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste. White House Budget Director, Peter Orszag proposed cutting $46 million from Yucca funding, Energy Secretary Chu
