September 08, 2014

Y-12 Contractor: Classified Info Not Compromised in June Incident

By ExchangeMonitor

New Y-12 contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security said it has completed an internal investigation into a security violation that occurred in June and determined that no classified information was “compromised.” The Department of Energy’s Office of Enforcement and Office of Enterprise Assessments said last week that it is investigating the potential “mishandling and unauthorized access to classified information.” CNS President Jim Haynes and Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal said in a message to employees yesterday that the incident involved a case of classified documents that was found in an unapproved location by a Y-12 employee. “We have implemented a new policy—which many of you are familiar with—to prevent recurrence,” Haynes and Tindal wrote. “We will fully support further investigation and surveillance of the effectiveness of our new policy, consistent with our fundamental security absolute that requires each of us to be vigilant and engaged on a daily basis in ensuring security in all aspects of our operations.”

Haynes and Tindal also addressed an August letter from the National Nuclear Security Administration expressing frustration about security problems at the site, defending security at the site while imploring employees to stay vigilant. “Past issues form the foundation for” negative judgments about the site, Haynes and Tindal wrote. “Current challenges cloud the reality of what we are accomplishing. We can only correct misperceptions by our own sustained and consistent performance. We cannot compromise in the areas of safety, security, or compliance. We must resist any attempts to take short-cuts or ignore problems. If you see something that doesn’t look right or an area that needs improvement, speak up. Stop work if necessary. But don’t compromise.”

Comments are closed.