WASHINGTON, D.C. – After the release of President Obama’s budget proposal – which allocates $165 million for decontamination and decommissioning cleanup at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion plant and more than $100 million for the American Centrifuge Project – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) released the following statement:

“The cleanup and redevelopment work at Piketon supports hundreds of jobs in southern Ohio,” Brown said. “It’s critical that we continue the cleanup and redevelopment of the Piketon site so that we can bring new jobs and economic development to the region. While this budget includes increased funding for Piketon over last year, we can and must increase cleanup funding. I will continue to fight to ensure the necessary funding to complete site cleanup on schedule, protect the environment, and set the stage for redevelopment and reuse.”

The announcement follows a letter Brown sent earlier this month urging continued federal investment in the cleanup and redevelopment of the Piketon plant. Brown made repeated calls to Administration officials urging them to request funding for Piketon in the Continuing Resolution.

 

In November, Brown submitted a public statement at a community meeting in Waverly that urged federal and state officials to work closely with stakeholders in Piketon, Portsmouth, and surrounding communities as cleanup and redevelopment of the site is pursued.

 

Brown has been a champion for the cleanup and continued development of the plant. In December 2014, Brown announced more than more than $200 million in direct funding to continue cleanup efforts as part of the FY15 omnibus appropriations bill. In 2008, Brown worked closely with the U.S. Department of Energy to establish a local Site Specific Advisory Board to help local residents better engage in cleanup efforts at the plant. Establishing a reuse plan would build on ongoing efforts to revitalize the area.

 

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