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  • Nuclear Regulatory Commission Bullying
  • December 9, 2011
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The nuclear waste has hit the fan

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Chicago Homeland Security Examiner

December 9, 2011  In a bi-partisan show of concern, Nuclear Regulatory Commissioners have reached out to the White House in an attempt to divert disaster. Panel members say if the thug- style tactics of Gregory Jaczko, the Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are not addressed the agency may not maintain its mission.

Jaczko's bullying style could affect the agency's ability to protect the health and safety at the nation's 104 commercial nuclear reactors, other panel members said. They have expressed "grave concerns" about the panel's chairman.  

In a letter to the White House signed by panel members William Magwood and George Apostolakis, both Democrats and two Republicans, Kristine Svinicki and William Ostendorff, Jaczko's collegues warn that the Chairman's actions are "causing serious damage" to the commission and creating a "chilled work environment at the NRC."
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Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-Ca), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the letter from all four of the Chair's colleagues on the five-member commission evidences a serious breach in trust among the NRC members. Issa's committee will hold a hearing on the NRC on Wednesday.

There have been numerous reports alleging misconduct by top officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The agency has a reputation for sloppy record-keeping, and not following through to ensure violations are corrected even if they are recorded.
 
An investigation by the AP found that a 'cozy' relationship exists between the electric power industry and the NRC. Nuclear power plants are not self-powered and require a tie-in to the electric power grid to operate.
 
Politicians on both sides have been accused of playing politics on the issue of permanent nuclear waste storage, endangering the lives of American citizens in the process.
 
In the ten years since 9/11, several reports have revealed that the threat of nuclear disaster is real and weak security measures, according to experts shows there is nothing standing between a determined terrorist and the nuclear weapons materials inside of U.S. nuclear plants. Nuclear threats have been largely ignored by the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies until the Japan's nuclear disaster in March 2011.
 
Jaczko is a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat who has lead the opposition to restarting the Yucca Mountain Project. Reid criticized the proposal passed by a House committee in February. 
“Let me be clear,” he told The Las Vegas Sun. “Any attempt to restart the Yucca Mountain project will not happen on my watch as Senate majority leader.”   
A series of questionable decisions by Jaczko have allegedly favored the Obama administration's plans to shut down Yucca Mountain. His reasons for doing so have come under attack by Congress, his fellow commissioners and in-house experts as being illegal.
 
In June, the NRC staff publicly questioned the agency's top management for altering a scientific evaluation of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste disposal site in Nevada. Researchers said Jaczko, directed them to remove findings about Yucca Mountain from the report. Staff members said for management to change a report by NRC scientists is "unusual."    
 
Jaczko responded to the two-page letter signed by all of the other panel members with his own letter basically saying it is the rest of the commission's members who are wrong. Jaczko argues that his "sole and passionate focus" since joining the agency in 2005 has been on nuclear safety and security.
"Unfortunately, all too often, when faced with tough policy calls, a majority of this current commission has taken an approach that is not as protective of public health and safety as I believe is necessary," said Jaczko.
Jaczko denied there is a "chilled work environment around me" and said he never attempted to intimidate anyone.
NRC panel members say Gregory Jaczko bullying damages the agency's abilities
NRC panel members say Gregory Jaczko bullying damages the agency's abilities
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Cynthia Hodges holds a M.A.in Political Science from NEIU in Chicago, Illinois and a Post-Grad Professional Certificate in Disaster and Terrorism Management from University of North Carolina -Chapel Hill. In addition to a successful writing career, Cynthia is in the process of writing a book on...

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