A new org chart from the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management makes it official – longtime DOE hand Joel Bradburne now heads the $8-billion nuclear cleanup branch.
The new chart lists Bradburne, most recently manager of the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office, as acting assistant secretary of Environmental Management, or EM-1.
The chart dated Sept. 10 does not list an EM-2, the post most recently manned by Roger Jarrell II. While technically Jarrell was second-in-command to a vacant EM-1 post, the attorney had led EM since April as its top federal officer.
For anyone new to the weapons complex, or who happened to be off the grid last week, Jarrell was apparently forced out by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.
Jarrell is said to have resisted Wright on whether DOE should reconsider going forward with the $24-billion Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant at the Hanford Site in Washington state. The plant is supposed to start turning some of Hanford’s less-radioactive liquid tank sludge into a solid glass form by Oct. 15.
The situation appeared to be cleared up Wednesday when Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and DOE announced the department has issued Critical Decision-4, clearing the way for startup of the WTP.
But that came after Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) threatened to go to court and Sen. Murray placed a hold on the nomination of Tim Walsh to be the new EM-1.
The Walsh nomination by the White House cleared committee in July but has yet to be voted upon by the full Senate.
As for the org chart, the row of managers directly below Bradburne remain the same: Greg Sosson (field operations), Kristen Ellis (regulatory and policy affairs) and Steve Trischman (corporate services). Back at the Portsmouth-Paducah Project Office, Reinhard Knerr has stepped in as acting manager.