HANFORD, Wash. – The Hanford Vitrification Plant, a project decades in the making with billions invested, faces an uncertain future as the Department of Energy considers pulling the plug.
Governor Bob Ferguson is ready to fight back. Governor Ferguson, alongside local leaders, held a press conference earlier today to address the situation.
Ferguson made it clear that if the federal government attempts to halt the project, Washington state will respond with legal action. “There is zero chance we are backing down on this,” Ferguson said, emphasizing his confidence in the state’s legal position. “I want to be crystal clear to everybody about this. There is zero chance we’re going to lose,” he said.
The VIT plant is scheduled to go online on October 15. The announcement from the Department of Energy to potentially withdraw support comes as a surprise to many, including Senator Patty Murray.
Murray recently spoke with the Secretary of Energy and learned of the Department’s plans. Governor Ferguson stressed that the agreement with the federal government is binding. “There is a deal they’ve agreed to a deal after. Extensive. Trust me on this, okay. Extensive conversations and negotiations over a very long period of time,” he said. “You make a deal, you honor the deal.”
With about a month left before the plant’s scheduled launch, Ferguson is preparing for all possible outcomes. “We have a deal in place, and it’s more than a handshake. It’s a federal court order,” Ferguson said. “I have absolutely every intention of working with everybody who’s behind me here and many others to make sure the federal government honors their promise.”
