Budget & Policy

Staff Reports NS&D Monitor 7/11/2014 The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a network of activist, advocacy and watchdog organizations at sites around the nuclear weapons complex, is calling on the National Nuclear Security Administration to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act and do another site-wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Y-12 National Security Complex. The […]

Mike Nartker NS&D Monitor 7/11/2014 The National Nuclear Security Administration created a new position of Uranium Program Manager this week to oversee all efforts to maintain the agency’s uranium manufacturing capabilities. Tim Driscoll from NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs has been named to fill the new position, which “will be responsible for overseeing all program […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) was unsuccessful in attempting to eliminate funding for Yucca Mountain in the House version of the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations bill during debate on the House floor this week before the full House voted to approve the bill. Titus offered an amendment […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/11/2014 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has no plans to change its exemption process for decommissioning sites, according to a letter NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane sent to a group of Senators this week. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) along with four other Senators from states with decommissioning sites, sent a letter in […]

The White House yesterday withdrew with no explanation Elizabeth Robinson’s nomination to serve as Under Secretary of Energy for Management and Performance. Robinson, who currently serves as NASA’s chief financial officer, was nominated to the new position at DOE last July. She was twice approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee—once last fall […]

As the full House takes up the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, the Obama Administration threatened a veto of the bill as it stands due in part to numerous issues that include MOX and Yucca Mountain. The Administration “strongly opposes” House passage of the current legislation, according to a Statement of Administration […]

A set of almost 40 journalism and open government groups called on the Obama Administration yesterday to practice greater transparency when it comes to the activities of federal agencies. In a letter sent to the White House, the 38 groups expressed concern over practices such as agencies not allowing federal employees to speak to reporters […]

David Huizenga is returning to the National Nuclear Security Administration today after having headed the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management for approximately three years. Huizenga was tapped to lead DOE’s cleanup efforts after the last Senate-confirmed Assistant Energy Secretary for Environmental Management, Ines Triay, stepped down in early July 2011. Huizenga served as […]

The National Nuclear Security Administration has created a new position of Uranium Program Manager to oversee all efforts to maintain the NNSA’s uranium manufacturing capabilities. The move, announced yesterday, comes in response to one of the recommendations made by the Red Team created to analyze the Uranium Processing Facility project. The Red Team “recommended that […]

The Obama Administration announced yesterday plans to nominate Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall as the next Deputy Energy Secretary. Randall currently serves as Special Assistant to the President and White House Coordinator for Defense Policy, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and Arms Control. She would replace Dan Poneman, who has announced plans to leave DOE this fall after […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has no plans to change its exemption process for decommissioning sites, according to a letter sent by NRC Chair Allison Macfarlane to a group of Senate lawmakers led by Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) this week. Markey sent a letter back in early May to the NRC, along with four other Senators […]

Todd Jacobson WC Monitor 7/3/2014 Nine Department of Energy nominees remain in a sort of limbo with the Senate confirmation process gridlocked, and with Republicans still smarting over Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s use of the nuclear option last year and the mid-term elections looming, there’s likely no relief in sight. The list of unconfirmed […]

Todd Jacobson WC Monitor 7/3/2014 More than six months after an investigation into operations at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board began and then had to be curtailed, it’s unclear whether that investigation has picked up again. The Postal Service Inspector General began an investigation in December into concerns about whether DNFSB Chairman Peter Winokur […]

Print 0 46 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:””; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 7/3/2014 Efforts by the National Nuclear Security Administration to revamp […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 7/3/2014 More than six months after an investigation into operations at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board began and then had to be curtailed, it’s unclear whether that investigation has picked up again. The Postal Service Inspector General began an investigation in December into concerns about whether DNFSB Chairman Peter Winokur […]

Jeremy L. Dillon RW Monitor 7/3/2014 George Apostolakis’ tenure as a Commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission came to an end this week, and it remains to be seen who the Obama Administration will nominate as a replacement. Apostolakis, who has served on the Commission since 2010, confirmed two weeks ago that he would not […]

Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 7/3/2014 Nine Department of Energy nominees remain in a sort of limbo with the Senate confirmation process gridlocked, and with Republicans still smarting over Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s use of the nuclear option last year and the mid-term elections looming, there’s likely no relief in sight. The list of unconfirmed […]

GHG Monitor 7/3/2014 IN EPA The Environmental Protection Agency this week proposed updated air standards for new municipal solid waste landfills that would require them to capture a higher percentage of emissions. Under the updated standards, new MSW landfills would be required to capture two-thirds of their methane and air toxics emissions by 2023, a […]

Efforts by the National Nuclear Security Administration to revamp its security program in the wake of the July 2012 security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex have lacked a “clear vision” or roadmap, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released yesterday. The report details a host of changes at the agency after […]

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has named Padraic Fox as a new site representative at Hanford, effective in September. Fox will be the Board’s third site rep at Hanford, joining Robert Quirk and David Gutowski. Fox joined the Board’s technical staff in September 2009, and during his tenure he has been responsible for evaluating […]

Nondisclosure agreements like the one Hanford whistleblower Donna Busche says she was pressured to sign by URS in 2012 are becoming more prevalent, according to a June 29 Washington Post report suggesting the agreements could run afoul of federal whistleblower laws. The Post report highlighted the case of Busche, a senior manager at Hanford who […]

NRC Commissioner George Apostolakis’ tenure on the Commission ends today. Apostolakis, who has served on the Commission since 2010, confirmed two weeks ago that he would not be returning as commissioner after President Barrack Obama elected not two re-nominate him to another term. “I am proud and honored to have served as a member of […]

Senate appropriators are looking to provide $110 million to the Department of Energy in Fiscal Year 2015 to continue supporting the American Centrifuge technology, according to draft legislation obtained by WC Monitor. In May the Department launched a new $118 million program aimed at preserving the American Centrifuge technology while USEC undergoes bankruptcy proceedings. The […]

Todd Jacobson WC Monitor 6/27/2014 Raising questions about how much the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management supports National Nuclear Security Administration missions, the House Appropriations Committee last week directed $21.3 million in funding for nonproliferation work in Russia to go toward spent foreign fuel work at the Savannah River Site and the Idaho […]

Todd Jacobson WC Monitor 6/27/2014   House lawmakers are expected to take up the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations Act after taking a break for the Independence Day recess, though the prospects for completing the bill have been thrown into turmoil with the Senate version of the bill stalled. The bill, which funds […]

WC Monitor 6/27/2014 IN CONGRESS Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the former chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee and an advocate of National Nuclear Security Administration reform efforts, announced late last week that he will seek to become chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The current chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa […]

Todd Jacobson RW Monitor 6/27/2014 House lawmakers are expected to take up the Energy and Water Appropriations Act after taking a break for the Independence Day recess, though the prospects for completing the bill have been thrown into turmoil with the Senate version of the bill stalled. The bill will be considered under a modified […]

Kenneth Fletcher RW Monitor 6/27/2014 The Department of Energy officially asked Congressional appropriators this week to reprogram about $33 million in National Nuclear Security Administration funds to support the American Centrifuge Project through the remainder of the fiscal year.  USEC is currently continuing work on the American Centrifuge Project under an 18-month subcontract with Oak […]

Todd Jacobson and Abby L. Harvey GHG Monitor 6/27/2014 House lawmakers are expected to take up the Energy and Water Appropriations Act after taking a break for the Independence Day recess, though the prospects for completing the bill have been thrown into turmoil with the Senate version of the bill stalled. The bill, which funds […]

Abby L. Harvey GHG Monitor 6/27/2014 The answer to the world’s carbon emission problem could be as simple as well-managed grazing, a panel of experts testified before the House Natural Resources subcommittee this week. The science behind the use of this holistic process is basic, the panel said. When livestock graze they remove dead plants […]