Amodei commends federal action to award radium cleanup funds to Nevada university

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) on Aug. 14 applauded action by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which awarded $12 million to the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) to decontaminate an on-campus building previously occupied by the U.S. Bureau of Mines.

“Today’s announcement that UNR will receive the fully requested funding amount is certainly welcome news,” Rep. Amodei said on Friday. “I’m pleased to have finally arrived at a positive outcome that will ensure the continued health and safety of the entire UNR community while on campus.”

UNR will decontaminate its Facilities Services Building (FSB), which the Bureau of Mines occupied from 1920 to 1954. Testing in 2016 confirmed that the FSB was contaminated by Radium-226, prompting evacuation of the building and the relocation of its occupants, according to information provided by Rep. Amodei’s office.

“Since learning of this issue, securing the funding needed for the remediation of this building has been a top priority of ours,” said Rep. Amodei, who recognized U.S. Reps. Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), chair and ranking member, respectively, of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and their staffs, who he said were all instrumental in helping “advance this priority on behalf of the Silver State.”

“It’s an honor to work alongside them on the committee,” said Rep. Amodei, “and I’m grateful for their hard work, productivity and thoughtful deliberation on this issue.”

Since the Bureau of Mines dissolved in 1996, Rep. Amodei’s office identified the DOI Central Hazardous Materials fund as a suitable account to support the remediation of the FSB’s Radium-226 contamination, and worked to secure language in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020 to provide the $12 million for radium cleanup under that fund, according to his staff.

Subsequently, H.R. 1865 became law in December 2019 with the president’s signature and the DOI announced on Aug. 14 that the fully requested $12 million would be awarded to UNR to complete the radium remediation of the FSB.

“It’s encouraging to see our efforts pay off and to know the students and faculty who will soon utilize this historic facility will be able to do so safely,” Rep. Amodei said.