Workers at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation could start receiving furlough notices on Wednesday because of the partial shutdown of the federal government.
The Tri-City Development Council estimates that about 9,000 Hanford and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory workers could eventually be put on temporary leave or laid off.
The Tri-City Herald reports the business group has sent a letter to members of Congress asking them to end the shutdown.
While the job losses would not be permanent, the letter says local businesses likely would see less spending while federal workers are idled.
The Hanford site is the largest single employer in the Tri-Cities of Richland, Kennewick and Pasco.
