“I agree with the recommendation to include facilities at Hanford, Oak Ridge and Los Alamos as part of this effort and I will continue leading efforts in Congress to authorize preservation activities. Anyone who has toured B Reactor knows it provides a real sense of what it might have been like to work at Hanford in the 1940’s that cannot be achieved through any history book. The Manhattan Project, which played a key role in ending World War II, represents an important part of our nation’s history that shouldn’t be forgotten. The Tri-Cities community deserves a great deal of credit for their work to highlight the significance of B Reactor and the workforce that contributed to our nation’s defense for so many years. I look forward to continuing my work with the community and with other stakeholders to ensure that this part of history is preserved and accessible.”
In 2004 Hastings authored a law directing the National Park Service to study preservation options for the Manhattan Project Sites, include Hanford’s historic B Reactor. As Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Hastings will use the National Park Service report released this week to write legislation authorizing preservation activities. The House Natural Resources Committee has jurisdiction over the National Park Service.