Trump Administration Proposes $400M Cut to Hanford Nuclear Site Budget

Proposed reduction could delay environmental cleanup projects at the Washington state facility.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 7:49pm

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The Trump administration has released a budget request for the Department of Energy that includes a proposed cut of around $400 million to the Hanford nuclear site's budget for fiscal year 2027. This reduction could delay some ongoing environmental cleanup efforts at the Washington state facility.

Why it matters

The Hanford nuclear site is one of the most contaminated places in the United States, with decades of radioactive and chemical waste that requires extensive and costly cleanup. Any cuts to the site's budget could slow progress on critical environmental remediation projects.

The details

According to the Department of Energy's budget documents, the current fiscal year 2026 budget for Hanford is a record $3.3 billion. However, the Trump administration is recommending slashing around $394 million from that amount in its fiscal year 2027 proposal. The office of Senator Patty Murray, who serves as the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, estimates the proposed cut could be closer to $404 million.

  • The Trump administration released its topline budget request for the Department of Energy for fiscal year 2027 on Friday.
  • The current fiscal year 2026 budget for the Hanford nuclear site is $3.3 billion, which ends in September.

The players

Trump administration

The current presidential administration that has proposed the budget cut for the Hanford nuclear site.

Department of Energy

The federal agency that oversees the Hanford nuclear site and its budget.

Senator Patty Murray

The Democratic senator from Washington state who serves as the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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What’s next

The proposed budget cut will now go through the congressional appropriations process, where lawmakers will decide on the final funding levels for the Hanford site.

The takeaway

This budget cut proposal could significantly impact the pace of environmental cleanup at the Hanford nuclear site, which has been plagued by decades of radioactive and chemical contamination. It remains to be seen if Congress will approve the administration's proposed reduction or restore funding to current levels.