Harkins officially appointed DOE acting manager at Hanford

The Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management has formally made longtime DOE hand Brian Harkins the acting manager of its costliest nuclear cleanup site.

DOE’s Environmental Management headquarters in Washington, D.C, Monday appointed Harkins its acting manager for the Hanford Site in Washington state.

The move is no surprise, given Harkins has been the highest-ranking DOE supervisor at the onetime plutonium production complex since DOE Hanford manager Brian Vance left the department in late April to explore private sector options.

In an email to Hanford staff, Roger Jarrell, the DOE principal deputy assistant secretary for environmental management, called Harkins “a proven leader” with more than three decades of DOE experience, who has been part of Hanford’s top management since 2022.

Harkins’ prior Hanford positions include assistant manager for mission support, deputy assistant manager for tank farms, Office of River Protection acquisition program manager, and deputy assistant manager for technical and regulatory support, according to DOE.

Also Monday, a DOE spokesperson stressed the department continues its search for a permanent successor to Vance as Hanford Site manager. 

“The process of selecting a new permanent manager is well underway with the department carefully evaluating candidates to lead the next chapter of Hanford cleanup success,” the spokesperson said. “This is an exciting time as the Hanford team advances toward stabilizing tank waste in glass later this year, driving down risks and building up opportunities for the future.”

The spokesperson was referring to the startup of Direct-Feed-Low-Activity Waste Facilities at the Waste Immobilization and Treatment Plant built by Bechtel.

“I’m honored to serve as acting site manager, leading our Hanford team at such an exciting time as we advance toward stabilizing tank waste in glass later this year, driving down risks and building up opportunities for the future,” Harkins said in his own email to Hanford staff.