“Whenever a hazardous material is discovered, it’s critical we have the right tools to properly handle and remove the material without doing harm to the surrounding environment,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “In Montana, WETO’s work is essential to doing that.  These funds will help WETO to continue keeping Montana’s communities safe and our environment healthy.”

            The Department of Energy (DOE), through their Western Energy Technology Office, has contracted with MSE Technology Applications, Inc. (MSE) to provide support to DOE’s environmental cleanup and closure missions.  Together, MSE and the DOE site will jointly develop a high priority mission need for which MSE will develop an approach, and upon acceptance by DOE, will, in conjunction with DOE, test and implement the solution.  

            “These funds are critically important to the long-term stability of MSE,” said Don Peoples, Executive Chairman of MSE.  “Our goal is to build a stable company that can operate in the absence of federal funds and can provide jobs to the Butte community. These funds will help us reach that point.  We appreciate Congressman Rehberg’s support.”

            “Groups working on the ground level have the best understanding of how to resolve the problem as quickly as possible,” said Rehberg.  “This program is a great system for ensuring we understand the situation completely before we begin to develop the solution.”