Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire is headed to Washington, D.C., next week,  and she says reviving negotiations on cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear site is a top priority. Richland correspondent Anna King reports.

The so called Tri-Party agreement sets enforceable deadlines for cleanup of radioactive waste at Hanford. But deadlines have slipped and negotiations over the agreement have stalled since last spring.

Gregoire says the Bush administration’s latest budget is aggravating the situation. It falls approximately $600 million short of the amount needed to keep cleanup moving forward on schedule.

Chris Gregoire: "This is not just about cleaning up for clean up’s sake this is about literally saving the Columbia River. And it’s about a responsibility that is owed to the people of Washington State and this nation. And I find that budget to be appalling."

Gregoire says time is up.

State officials say they aren’t sure if they will sue the federal government for not sticking to its agreed deadlines. But to make up for the delays the federal government might be asked to expand the scope of groundwater cleanup at the site.