The following article is from the April 2007 issue of

It has been nearly 30 years since the federal government agreed to fund the cleanup of the West Valley facility in Cattaraugus County (approximately 30 miles south of Buffalo), and recent federal funding cuts have raised questions about Washington's commitment. This comes at a time when a radioactive plume threatens to pollute groundwater, creeks, and ultimately Lake Erie.

In 1980, the federal government, under the West Valley Demonstration Project Act, committed to pay for the entire cleanup and for the disposal of nuclear contamination on approximately 200 acres of the site. From the late 1960s to the early 1970s, West Valley was a privately operated nuclear waste reprocessing facility. The company left behind a contaminated facility, as well as high-level radioactive waste.

There is strong bi-partisan support from key state officials who are interested in getting the federal program back on track. Earlier this year, the Office of the Attorney General and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which owns the land, sued the federal government to ensure that remediation occurs quickly. The suit also seeks damages for harm caused to the state's natural resources as a result of the federal government's lack of action all these years.

A few weeks ago, Representative John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) wrote the House Appropriations Committee, urging the restoration of funds for West Valley that had been slashed from President Bush's budget over the past few years. Rep. Kuhl and Senator Schumer introduced the West Valley Remediation Act in the 109th Congress, calling upon the Department of Energy to take possession of the site and pay for its entire cleanup. So far, only Schumer has reintroduced the bill in the 110th Congress.

Newsletter Issue

• Ecopolitics Monthly --- April 2007