A URS executive on the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant is alleging that URS sought to interfere with a Department of Energy investigation into safety concerns at the project. Donna Busche, who holds the position of Environmental and Nuclear Safety Manager, has alleged that a senior URS corporate official, Ellen Livingston-Behan, sought to interfere with her participation in an ongoing DOE Office of Health, Safety and Security investigation into potential nuclear safety noncompliances related to aspects of the WTP’s design. According to Busche, Livingston-Behan contacted a senior official in the DOE-HSS office to ask that Busche not be interviewed as part of the investigation without her supervisor present. “It was communicated to me that Ms. Livingston-Behan was ‘calling in a favor’ to request that the Office of Nuclear Safety Enforcement not interview me or entertain presentations made by me because my supervisor Fred Beranek was on special assignment in Idaho Falls. The Deputy Director of Enforcement and the Investigators expressed their concerns on the inappropriate nature of the call by Ms. Livingston-Behan on the behalf of URS and the potential interference with the investigation of noncompliances with mandatory nuclear safety requirements,” Busche wrote in a “employee concern” message sent March 13 to DOE Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer Glenn Podonsky and other senior Department officials.
Busche said in her message that Livingston-Behan, who holds the position of Senior Vice President for Business Assurance, is not in a supervisory role over her. “I have filed an official concern with my corporation for the actions taken by Ms. Livingston-Behan,” Busche wrote. “I view Ms. Livingston-Behan’s actions as an attempt to materially interfere, and obstruct, the ability of the Office of Nuclear Safety Enforcement investigation to conduct a full investigation into potential noncompliances with nuclear safety requirements.” Busche also accused URS and Bechtel National, for which URS is a subcontractor, of “continued harassment and retaliation” for raising safety concerns.
Busche’s message to Podonsky was made public in a recent court filing in the lawsuit another URS executive, Walt Tamosaitis, has filed against URS and the Department of Energy over his removal from the WTP in the summer of 2010 for allegedly raising safety concerns. Busche declined to comment on her allegations yesterday through her attorney. Last year, Busche filed a whistleblower complaint with the Department of Labor against URS and Bechtel National alleging retaliation for raising safety issues. Bechtel National has disputed the allegations Busche made in her whistleblower complaint.