A report from Democrats in Congress says more than 1,000 Hanford workers would be placed on unpaid leave for about six weeks if automatic federal budget cuts take effect March 1.

The Tri-City Herald reports ( http://bit.ly/YcHCzb) environmental and cleanup work on the nuclear reservation would be suspended or delayed.

The Energy Department has released little information about the effect of the budget cut known as sequestration. The report came from Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee.

Hanford has a total of close to 9,000 workers.

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Information from: Tri-City Herald, http://www.tri-cityherald.com