Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, today praised passage of H.R. 2641, the fiscal year 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill which included substantial funding for the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Office of Nuclear Energy. Specifically, the legislation provides $96.8 million in increased funding for ongoing remediation of facilities and land as part of the Idaho Cleanup Project. Total cleanup funding for FY2008 is slated to be over $600 million, which is a record funding level for Idaho. 

"I have repeatedly said that in order to be successful with the long-term future missions of the INL we have to be successful in cleaning up the cold war legacy of the Site," said Simpson. "This bill will accelerate our ability to remediate that legacy and protect the Snake River Plain Aquifer." 

"Congressman Simpson is to be commended for securing the funding of our nuclear waste agreement," said Former Governor Phil Batt. "This bill ensures the DOE’s commitments under the 1995 Settlement Agreement will be met, while advancing technologies at the Lab."

The Idaho National Laboratory’s research efforts receive substantial increases as well, including $70 million for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) and $20 million for upgrades to the Advanced Test Reactor and the construction of new buildings. The NGNP is an advanced high-temperature gas reactor to be built in Idaho and designed to produce both electricity and hydrogen. Idaho Senator Larry Craig authorized its development as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 

"This bill provides a substantial boost to the Next Generation Nuclear Plant and the development of advanced gas reactor technology," said Simpson. "It also places a significant investment in the aging infrastructure of the Site and funds ongoing efforts to extend the life of the Advanced Test Reactor."

H.R. 2641 also includes $4 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the state of Idaho under the Army Corps of Engineers Section 595 program. Funding for this program has in the past been used to assist a number of Idaho communities with their water infrastructure needs. Those communities include Rupert, Burley, Emmett, Bonners Ferry, and the Eastern Idaho Regional Wastewater Project.

The Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill provides approximately $30 billion in funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Energy, and several independent agencies.

H.R. 2641 will now be sent to the U.S. Senate for consideration.