WATCHDOG GROUP TO SUE OVER RELEASE OF CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

A nuclear watchdog group that successfully sued to get the National Nuclear Security Administration to release its 10-year site plans several years ago says it will take the agency to court over its refusal to release the Performance Evaluation Reviews used to award fee to the contractors that run the sites. Since 2009, the agency has shielded the reviews from the public, arguing that the report cards contain procurement sensitive information and should be kept under wraps for three years. Like many news organizations, including this one, Nuclear Watch New Mexico has filed Freedom of Information Act requests to compel the NNSA to release the documents. “If our requests are denied and an appeal rejected, yes, we would be eager to go to court,” Nuclear Watch New Mexico Executive Director Jay Coghlan said. “Public release of these documents is critical for contractor accountability, and as a matter of executive order federal agencies are suppose to have a bias towards disclosure. But here NNSA offers flimsy excuses for withholding that we are confident we can demolish in court, and demolish them we will.” Nuclear Watch New Mexico sued the agency in 2006 to release the 10-year site plans, and the NNSA relented in late 2008, posting the plans on the Internet.