The state has given a coalition of local governments $100,000 to tackle a series of ways to increase public involvement in Hanford matters in the Mid-Columbia.

"We want the citizens of this region and the whole state to understand the impact of the cleanup effort. ... This fund will help the lines of communications," Max Benitz, chairman of the Benton County commissioners, said Thursday.

The agreement between the Washington Department of Ecology and the Hanford Communities was announced Thursday.

The Hanford Communities is a coalition of Mid-Columbia governments working together on Hanford issues.

This is a one-year agreement in which the state provides the money with the Hanford Communities obligated to fulfill specific public involvement requirements.

These obligations include:

Creating a "speakers bureau" in which experts would be lined up to talk to local organizations and forums on Hanford matters.

Setting up Hanford-related programs to run in TCI Cablevision's Channel 3. The first hourlong program already has been produced, which features Hank Hatch, Fluor Daniel Hanford's president. It's scheduled to run at 6 p.m. today and Sunday.

Conducting community briefings on the Tri-Party Agreement, the fiscal 1999 and 2000 Hanford budgets, and other radioactive waste and surplus plutonium matters.