Friday, May 30, 2003 | 11:24 a.m.
WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department's nuclear waste director has launched a comprehensive effort to improve efforts at Yucca Mountain, including a strategy to make workers feel free to raise concerns.
Margaret Chu's plan also includes management shifts, a "corrective actions" program, more attention to procedures and more worker accountability.
Chu outlined her efforts Thursday in a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
"I have recognized the need to change our focus and improve our processes to meet rigorous NRC licensing requirements," Chu wrote in the five-page letter.
Chu, Energy officials and contractors at Yucca have been trying to fix procedural flaws as the department prepares to submit an application to the commission for a license to construct a storage site for high-level nuclear waste 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Commission officials are concerned about a number of problems, especially inside Yucca's Quality Assurance program, which is designed to confirm the quality of research methods and the technical and scientific data that has been gathered.
Officials asked Chu to send them a letter explaining her plan for changes. Among their concerns are internal survey results that revealed workers are not comfortable telling managers about problems.
The troubled program was the focus of a special Senate hearing this week organized by Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev. Of particular interest were reports that the department has retaliated against several auditors who spotlighted procedural flaws. The senators suspect that pressure from Yucca managers dissuaded two from testifying at Wednesday's hearing.
"It seems as though they would have had a thing or two to say about the information in this letter," Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said.
The two auditors could not be reached for comment this morning.
Chu's letter outlines an effort to create a new work culture.
"Our goal and responsibility is to create an environment in which employees freely raise safety issues without fear of harassment, intimidation, retaliation or discrimination and receive a timely, effective and respectful response," Chu wrote.
Chu said the department plans additional training of Yucca managers "to increase managers' effectiveness in receiving and acting on concerns."
Surveys will be conducted quarterly and the results provided to the NRC, Chu wrote. Chu also wrote that this year it has taken managers 27 days on average to investigate and respond to concerns, an improvement over the 111 days last year.
Chu's efforts appear to be a positive step, Ensign spokesman Jack Finn said.
Chu's effort is too little, too late, said Amy Spanbauer, spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev.
"There is obviously a perverse and pervasive threat within the DOE system toward whistle-blowers," Spanbauer said. "We would need to see real proof" that Yucca managers are making workers comfortable in voicing concerns, she said.
Chu's letter outlines a number of other actions:
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