SENATE PANEL TO HOLD HEARING ON HANFORD WHISTLEBLOWERS

The Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight is set to hold a hearing next week on the safety culture at the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant. The hearing appears to have been prompted by the recent decision of URS, a major subcontractor at the WTP, to terminate Donna Busche, who served as a key nuclear safety manager at the project and who has alleged she faced harassment and retaliation for raising safety issues. Both URS and WTP contractor Bechtel National have denied Busche’s allegations.

 

Among those who have been asked to provide testimony at next week’s hearing is Kevin Smith, head of the DOE Office of River Protection at Hanford; and DOE Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer Glenn Podonsky. The two officials have been asked to testify on how DOE and contractor employees can raise safety concerns, as well as the treatment of those who do so and what role, if any, DOE played in Busche’s termination. DOE has said it was not given advance notice of URS’ decision to terminate Busche. The Senate panel has also invited Craig Albert, President of Government Services for Bechtel National; and James Taylor, the new head of URS’ Global Management and Operations Services unit, to testify. The subcommittee has asked Taylor to provide information as to when URS decided to investigate Busche’s performance and the company’s rationale for her termination. The Senate subcommittee hearing is scheduled to be held March 11 beginning at 10 a.m.