U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-23, has introduced the West Valley Demonstration Project Reauthorization Act, legislation that extends the federal government’s authority to complete the cleanup and environmental restoration at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) in Cattaraugus County.

The West Valley site is the only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing facility ever to operate in the United States. Following its closure in the 1970s, Congress passed the West Valley Demonstration Project Act of 1980 directing the Department of Energy to solidify high-level radioactive waste and decommission contaminated facilities. More than four decades later, the project continues to protect the surrounding communities and the Great Lakes watershed while sustaining hundreds of good-paying local jobs.

Langworthy’s bill would extend the Department of Energy’s cleanup authorization through fiscal year 2037 and double the annual authorized funding level from $75 million to $150 million to reflect the expanded scope and cost of waste removal, stabilization, and shipping.

“The West Valley cleanup is vital to the health, safety, and prosperity of Western New York,” Langworthy said. “This project protects our Great Lakes, sustains hundreds of local jobs, and continues to make tremendous progress toward full environmental restoration. My bill ensures that the Department of Energy has the long-term resources and stability it needs to finish the job once and for all.”

The reauthorization provides planning certainty for the Department of Energy, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and federal and state regulators to complete the next phase of cleanup. The project supports roughly 350 skilled workers, including engineers, environmental scientists, and trades professionals employed by West Valley Cleanup and its subcontractors.

In addition to supporting local employment, the West Valley Demonstration Project contributes tens of millions of dollars annually to the Western New York economy through payroll and local procurement, while maintaining strong support from community leaders and regulatory agencies including the Department of Energy, NYSERDA, EPA, NRC, and state DEC.

“This reauthorization reaffirms my commitment to the responsible stewardship of our natural resources, preserving local jobs and harnessing scientific innovation,” Langworthy said.