BUDGET: State needs to cut back on waste

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• Blue Ribbon Commission says U.S. should start looking for Yucca alternative

  Blue Ribbon Commission says U.S. should start looking for Yucca alternative

  WASHINGTON -- The United States should immediately start looking for an alternative to replace the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada, which cost an estimated $15 billion but was never completed, a presidential commission said Thursday.

  In its final report, the 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission recommended immediate efforts to develop at least one geologic disposal facility for long-term handling of nuclear waste. Any effort to site a disposal facility must have community support, it said.

  The report also suggested building regional storage sites that would be open for up to 100 years while officials seek to complete a permanent burial site.

• Panel urges handling Hanford waste

  Panel urges handling Hanford waste

  The possibility of disposing of Hanford's high-level radioactive waste while a solution continues to be worked out for spent commercial nuclear fuel was raised Thursday at a Senate hearing.

  Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., questioned leaders of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future on its findings at a hearing before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. On Wednesday, Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., a candidate for governor, questioned commission leaders at a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Environment and Economy.

  The commission issued its final recommendation last week, calling for the nation to look for a location "by consensus" where a new national repository for high-level defense waste and used commercial fuel will be welcome. It also called for the development of storage sites to be used in the meantime.

• More money needed to stay on track at Hanford

  More money needed to stay on track at Hanford

  Almost $2.8 billion would be required in fiscal 2014 to keep environmental cleanup on pace at the Hanford nuclear reservation, according to the first look at the budget released Thursday.

  That's up from about $2.2 billion in both the current Hanford budget and also the Obama administration's request for next year's Hanford budget.

  However, big questions remain, including the effects of possible sequestration triggered by the failure of a special congressional deficit committee to reach agreement and a proposal to create a new cost and schedule for the Hanford vitrification plant based on lower spending.

• Rural Alaska air travel subsidies survive budget cuts

  Rural Alaska air travel subsidies survive budget cuts

  Subsidies for rural Alaska air travel survived the cost cutting talk as Congress passed a four-year funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday after years of dispute.

• DOE not ready to commit to expanding vit plant

  DOE not ready to commit to expanding vit plant

  The Department of Energy is not ready to commit to expanding the Hanford vitrification plant to treat all 56 million gallons of radioactive tank waste, upsetting its regulators at the state of Washington.

  DOE will not choose a preferred method for treating all Hanford tank waste in a massive environmental study about to be completed, officials said.

  "To say that we are exceedingly disappointed is an understatement," said Suzanne Dahl, tank treatment section manager for the state Department of Ecology.