Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, today announced the inclusion of substantial increases in funding for the Idaho National Laboratory and the Idaho Cleanup Project as part of legislation funding the Department of Energy in Fiscal Year 2010. The legislation was approved today in the House of Representatives by a vote of 320-97.

The legislation includes an increase of $54.03 million over current funding levels for new facilities and other infrastructure at INL bringing total infrastructure funding to $194.03 million. The additional funding is available for a variety of uses including new buildings, renovation of existing buildings, equipment purchases, and the Advanced Test Reactor’s operation as a National Scientific User Facility.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of those who work at INL, substantial new resources are headed Idaho’s way to improve facilities and expand the capabilities of some of the labs premier resources,” said Simpson. “This funding is the second installment of a multi-year commitment by the DOE and Congress to revitalize the INL’s infrastructure.”

Among its many provisions, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill also includes:

·                     A $76 million increase over the current fiscal year for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) bringing total funding to $245 million. The NGNP is designed to produce both electricity and heat for industrial applications. INL is the Department of Energy’s lead laboratory on research and development of the NGNP.

·                     $10 million for INL’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program. The Program focuses on maintenance and life extension of our nation’s current fleet of nuclear reactors.

·                     A combined total of $19.34 million is provided for INL’s collaboration with NASA on the supply of energy sources for deep space missions.

·                     $1 million for equipment purchases at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies at INL.

·                     $475 million for cleanup activities at INL, which is level funding with the current fiscal year but a $69 million increase over President Obama’s requested amount.

“Funding in this bill will expand reactor development, continue fuel cycle research, and push the development of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies,” said Simpson. “The new funding in this bill can only be seen as a complete endorsement by Congress of the leadership role INL is playing in our nation’s nuclear renaissance.”

The Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill now awaits action in the Senate.