DOE MUST RESTORE DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD ACCESS TO INFORMATION, NUCLEAR SECURITY FACILITIES, AND PERSONNEL
What’s HappenedOn May 14, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary approved DOE Order 140.1 Interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, which limits release of information, limits the DNFSB’s access to nuclear security sites, and personnel. The impacts are already being felt by Congress, the Board, DOE contractors and workers, and in communities located near some of the most dangerous nuclear facilities across the nation. |
ANA’s MessageThe Alliance for Nuclear Accountability has reviewed DOE Order 140.1 and believes it imposes a level of constraint on DNFSB that jeopardizes the important mission of the Safety Board. In fact, it may well violate the legislation that established the Board. ANA groups and the public at major DOE sites have come to rely on the Safety Board’s expertise to identify and hold accountable the DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration for worker and public safety related issues. |
Our list of Safety Board revelations that have led to significant improvements is long. We also rely on the Safety Board for information; the weekly reports of Resident Inspectors are one of the few windows available to the public into what goes on at DOE and NNSA sites. The DOE’s attempt to limit Safety Board access to people, documents, information, and facilities is not acceptable. We are calling for DOE to rescind DOE Order 140.1. Should DOE refuse, we are asking for the Order to be put on hold until public hearings are held (within 90 days) at each site with a Safety Board presence to explain to the public why it has taken this step—and to listen to our comments. Learn more about ANA at ananuclear.org.
What’s Happened
On May 14, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary approved DOE Order 140.1 Interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, which limits release of information, limits the DNFSB’s access to nuclear security sites, and personnel. The impacts are already being felt by Congress, the Board, DOE contractors and workers, and in communities located near some of the most dangerous nuclear facilities across the nation.
Background
After numerous disclosures about releases and discharges from DOE defense nuclear facilities impacting public health and safety, Congress created the Board in 1988. Its statutory mission is to “provide independent analysis, advice, and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy to inform the Secretary, in the role of the Secretary as operator and regulator of the defense nuclear facilities of the Department of Energy, in providing adequate protection of public health and safety at defense nuclear facilities.” The Board does not have regulatory power. Even so, since its inception, the Board and its staff, including the Resident Inspectors located at some of the most dangerous nuclear facilities in the country, have provided continuing oversight of complex, high-hazard operations involving nuclear weapons; remediation of nuclear wastes and legacy facilities; design and construction of new DOE defense nuclear facilities; as well as review of DOE safety standards.
What You Can Do
The Board is holding a second public hearing on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, from 10 am to 1:30 pm EST. It will be live streamed and the link will be available on the day of the hearing at https://www.dnfsb. gov/public-hearings-meetings/august-28-2018-publichearing. Public comments can be submitted until December 28, 2018 at [email protected]
ANA’s Message
The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability has reviewed DOE Order 140.1 and believes it imposes a level of constraint on DNFSB that jeopardizes the important mission of the Safety Board. In fact, it may well violate the legislation that established the Board. ANA groups and the public at major DOE sites have come to rely on the Safety Board’s expertise to identify and hold accountable the DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration for worker and public safety related issues. Our list of Safety Board revelations that have led to significant improvements is long. We also rely on the Safety Board for information; the weekly reports of Resident Inspectors are one of the few windows available to the public into what goes on at DOE and NNSA sites. The DOE’s attempt to limit Safety Board access to people, documents, information, and facilities is not acceptable. We are calling for DOE to rescind DOE Order 140.1. Should DOE refuse, we are asking for the Order to be put on hold until public hearings are held (within 90 days) at each site with a Safety Board presence to explain to the public why it has taken this step—and to listen to our comments. Learn more about ANA at ananuclear.org.