The American Nuclear Society said Wednesday it had joined with three other organizations to urge the White House to retain the National Security Council’s director of nuclear energy policy position.
In a May 3 letter to National Security Adviser Susan Rice, the organizations cited “deep concern” over reports that the job might be eliminated just four years after it was created.
“The Director of Nuclear Energy Policy has been crucial in creating coherence in U.S. policy on civil nuclear issues, enhancing the competitive position of the U.S. civil nuclear industry and furthering U.S. nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation objectives,” according to the letter. “It is essential to ensure interagency coordination on cross-cutting issues between the Departments of Commerce, State, Energy, and Treasury, the U.S. Trade Representative and the Export-Import Bank. Further, it is critical that these functions reside in an independent position that has advocacy authority for civil nuclear energy, thereby avoiding the inherent tension that would exist if these functions were bundled with responsibility for non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction control as proposed by some.”
The position has been held since July 2015 by Michael Wautlet, who has served as a State Department foreign service officer and Navy officer. The first and prior job holder was Joyce Connery, who last August became chair of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.
The letter was issued by the American Nuclear Society, Nuclear Infrastructure Council, Nuclear Energy Institute, and Third Way.
On Wednesday, NSC spokesman Myles Caggins said by email, “We have several staff members focused on a range of nuclear energy and nuclear security matters and are aware of the letter.”
