nuclear-news

New -Security contractor at Y-12 nuclear weapons plant fired after intrusion by Sister Megan Rice

• Article by: ERIK SCHELZIG , Associated Press
• Updated: October 1, 2012 – 5:29 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The security contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Tennessee was fired Monday after authorities said three protesters cut through fences and vandalized a building in an unprecedented break-in.

Security contractor WSI Oak Ridge said it has started winding down operations and will transfer its protective force functions to B&W Y-12, the managing contractor at the plant, over the next several weeks. The Department of Energy had earlier recommended that WSI’s contract be terminated.

The security contractor was criticized for its poor response when the protesters, including an 82-year-old Roman Catholic nun, cut through fences on July 28 and defaced a building that stores the plant’s weapons grade uranium.

Peter Stockton, a Department of Energy adviser on nuclear security during the Clinton administration, called the firing long overdue.

[…]

POGO, a Washington-based independent watchdog known for exposing overpriced military parts and other government shortcomings, has been a frequent critic of security lapses at the facility.

The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge makes uranium parts for every warhead in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

[…]

After the intrusion, top officials at WSI and B&W were removed from their positions, though Stockton questioned why no members of the federal government have lost their jobs.

[…]

WSI Oak Ridge is a subsidiary of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based G4S Government Solutions Inc., […]

Sister Megan Rice and her co-defendants face federal charges that could carry a maximum prison sentence of 16 years if they are convicted.

Other than heading out before dawn, the protesters did little to conceal their nearly half-mile trek into the restricted area where signs warn intruders they could be shot. According to court documents, they used bolt cutters to get through three fences, tripping alarms in the process.

[…]

Security officers who heard the protesters beating on the walls of the building with a hammer had incorrectly assumed that they were construction workers, according to the report.

more here

http://www.startribune.com/nation/172172021.html?refer=y

Nuclear Security & Safety

Current and former presidents have agreed that the single greatest threat to global security is posed by nuclear materials. While POGO does not take a position on the use of nuclear power or nuclear weapons, we believe it is essential to secure the facilities from terrorist attacks and to ensure the safety of both the facility employees and the residents who live in nearby communities. POGO’s investigations have revealed that many of the nation’s nuclear facilities are poorly maintained, pose a substantial threat to their surrounding neighborhoods, and are costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year to secure and maintain. POGO has made practical recommendations to the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission for addressing the glaring weaknesses of these facilities.  Click on the program areas below to learn more.

http://www.pogo.org/investigations/nuclear-security/

October 2, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized