Washington Governor Ferguson Proposes $10 Million Capital Budget Investment for Clean Energy Park Near Richland
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced on November 13 that he will propose a $10 million investment in his upcoming 2027-29 biennial Capital Budget for the Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park near Richland in Benton County, dedicated to preparing basic sewer, water, electrical and road infrastructure. It is the first announcement of investments to be proposed in his first two-year budget.
The park is a 1,641-acre, master-planned industrial area, formerly part of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, positioned to support large-scale clean energy, advanced manufacturing and related supply-chain development. Ferguson announced the proposal at Local 598 Union Hall in Richland.
Two companies have already committed to locate at the campus once construction is complete: Atlas Agro, which is building the world's first at-scale, low-carbon fertilizer production facility, and Ruby Flats Solar Farm, a utility-scale solar project important to meeting Washington state's clean energy goals. General Matter is also considering using the site to produce advanced nuclear fuel for small reactors.
"This investment will support thousands of good-paying jobs in the trades and advanced industries, and unlock billions in private investment," Ferguson said. "We as a state can make big things happen with strategic investments, including building the infrastructure needed to cement the Tri-Cities' position as a green energy hub."
The Governor's office said that despite significant challenges facing the state's Operating Budget in the upcoming biennium, there are opportunities for targeted investments, especially in Capital Budget projects, which can have an outsized impact in creating jobs and the conditions for private companies to locate in Washington.
Source: Office of the Governor of Washington
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：华盛顿州 Richland 的哥伦比亚河畔（Tri-Cities 地区）。Williamborg 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Columbia River waterfront in Richland, Washington, in the Tri-Cities area. By Williamborg, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
