Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) is calling on the Department of Energy to move quickly to name a new Manager for the Richland Operations Office at Hanford, following the retirement of Matt McCormick last week. “I believe the Richland Operations Office needs a Manager who can hold firm to legal commitments made by DOE in the Tri-Party Agreement and ensure they are met; who will work with the local community as decisions are made to ensure collaboration and solid communication; and who will also keep in mind the surrounding public’s desire to access Hanford lands as they are cleaned up. Naming a strong permanent Richland Operations Office Site Manager in short order is one step the Department can take to best position the Hanford site for cleanup success,” Hastings wrote in a June 10 letter to DOE cleanup chief David Huizenga. Hastings added, “While I understand that hiring decisions can take time, I note that uncertainty surrounding leadership and authority can have a negative impact on cleanup success, safety and communications.”
McCormick’s last day at Hanford came on June 5, and since then the Richland Operations Office has been headed on an acting basis by Deputy Manager Doug Shoop. DOE did not return calls for comment yesterday as to the anticipated time line for finding a new permanent manager.
In his letter, Hastings noted that moving quickly to fill the vacancy at the Richland Operations Office will also benefit the other main DOE office at Hanford, the Office of River Protection. “The Richland Operations Office Hanford Site Manager is responsible for an enormous amount of critical cleanup work along the River Corridor and in the Central Plateau—while at the same time providing infrastructure and services to the entire Hanford Site, including the DOE Office of River Protection. This not only provides the greatest opportunity for legally enforceable cleanup commitments under the purview of the Richland Office to be met, but also enables the Office of River Protection to rightly focus its time and attention on tank waste safety, retrieval and treatment,” Hastings wrote.