Sites across the National Nuclear Security Administration would be hit hard by mandatory budget cuts that are slated to go into effect March 1, with contractors planning furloughs and layoffs to deal with the impact of sequestration. According to a report released by Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee yesterday, sequestration would require Y-12 National Security Complex contractor B&W Y-12 to furlough 700 to 1,000 of its 4,500-member workforce for up to six months, while Pantex Plant manager B&W Pantex would furlough 2,500 employees for three weeks to deal with the budget cuts. Elsewhere, the report said Los Alamos National Laboratory will furlough 500 employees for about two weeks, while Sandia National Laboratories would lay off up to 100 positions and stop hiring in support of work on the B61 bomb life extension program. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory also has told employees to expect furloughs should sequestration go into effect, but it hasn’t settled on the exact workforce impact and was not mentioned in the report by House Appropriations Committee Democrats. The NNSA declined to comment on specific details about its sequestration planning, but agency leadership will appear before the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee today to address sequestration and Fiscal Year 2014 budget priorities. “We’re preparing for sequestration should Congress not act to avoid it, but I’m not in a position to comment on specifics,” NNSA spokesman Josh McConaha said.
In a statement, Sandia spokesman Jim Danneskiold said the lab has been examining the impacts of sequestration for months, and because of its broad portfolio, it has the flexibility to deal with potential budget belt-tightening. “Sandia has analyzed potential impacts of the various budget scenarios currently under consideration and finds no immediate impact on Sandia employees, other than possible adjustments to our programs,” Danneskiold said. “Sandia is re-evaluating its hiring plans for FY13 and next year and, in consultation with our sponsors, will decide whether to adjust those plans.” In a message to employees yesterday, LANL Director Charlie McMillan said that recent cost-cutting efforts at the lab over the last year have given it flexibility to deal with potential cuts. He said layoffs were not being considered in case of sequestration, but said short-term furloughs, limiting procurements, using carryover balances and possibly cutting subcontractor workforce could be potential solutions. “We went through a lot together last year. I realize it is difficult to hear some of these words again,” McMillan said. “I can assure you that Laboratory leadership is working closely with NNSA on this issue, and scenario planning does not equal reality.” A Congressional aide said the figures in the report were among the possible sequestration impacts facing the sites. “It’s evolving, but this is going to have an impact,” the aide told NW&M Monitor.
The committee suggested that the furloughs would have an especially significant impact at Y-12, which is still reeling from a July 28 security breach. “Clearly, these layoffs will adversely impact efforts to improve security,” the panel wrote. The committee also suggested “efforts to refurbish and extend the life of several weapons systems would be delayed, including the B61, leading to increased costs and impacts to deployments and readiness in the future.” The committee also said sequestration would “erode the security posture at site and facilities by layoffs, workforce reassignments, and project deferrals” and would “hamper the internal oversight function of DOE nuclear facilities and reduce the depth and frequency of audits and evaluations needed to ensure ongoing robust security operations.”
