With Hanford Site Manager Brian Vance having resigned from the Department of Energy, longtime federal supervisor Brian Harkins is now the highest-ranking fed at the former plutonium production complex in Washington state, a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Acting deputy manager Brian Harkins is currently leading the site, after Vance’s departure last week, a DOE spokesperson said via email in response to an Exchange Monitor inquiry.
Vance, who is leaving DOE to explore private sector opportunities, left the agency effective April 24.
On April 3, Harkins became acting deputy manager at Hanford, succeeding Brian Stickney who left DOE in March.
Hanford is the most extensive nuclear cleanup site within the Department of Energy’s $8-billion Office of Environmental Management. Coming into 2025, it had about 13,000 workers, mostly contractors.
NEW: Via public records request, I’ve been able to confirm reporting today that a warrant has been issued for DOE deputy asst. secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition Sam Brinton for another luggage theft, this time at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid airport. (cc: @EMPublications)
DOE spent fuel lead Brinton accused of second luggage theft.
by @BenjaminSWeiss, confirming today's reports with warrant from Las Vegas Metro PD.
Waste has been Emplaced! 🚮
We have finally begun emplacing defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste in Panel 8 of #WIPP.
Read more about the waste emplacement here: https://wipp.energy.gov/wipp_news_20221123-2.asp
Editorial: Sam Brinton’s credibility is now an issue 🔓