MOSCOW, December 13 (RIA Novosti) - The Federal Agency for Nuclear Power said Tuesday it would allocate 250 million rubles ($8.7 million) next year to address environmental problems at a nuclear processing plant in the Urals.
"In 2006, the agency will earmark 2.5 times more funds than this year for the problems of the Mayak plant," Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of the agency, said during a tour of the plant.
A criminal investigation was launched against Mayak in April after breaches of environmental protection regulations were found during an inspection, which revealed that the plant was allegedly releasing more than 10 million cu m of radioactive waste into the Techa River every year.
Russian environmental organizations insist that the plant be shut down.
