Brookhaven Reverberations

Capitol Hill has shown keen interest in the Department of Energy’s national laboratories over the last few years. Congress has held many hearings on the national labs because of the winding down of the Cold War; concerns about environmental, health, and safety conditions; and pressures on federal spending. The Administration shares this interest, and has commissioned studies on the future of the labs.

A critical report released last month by the General Accounting Office on Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) (GAO/RCED-98-26) has not gone unnoticed on Capitol Hill. In a November 10 letter, House Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Ranking Minority Member George Brown (D-CA) have requested the GAO to review overall departmental management and laboratory procedures.

The GAO report criticized the department’s management structure. The GAO states: “Our concern is that role and responsibility weaknesses raised by DOE and summarized in this report reflect fundamental problems that have long characterized the Department’s administration of all its national laboratories, not just BNL. For, despite many calls for improvement by internal and external groups, DOE leadership has so far been unable to develop an effective structure that can hold its laboratory contractors accountable for meeting all important departmental goals and objectives.”GAO did find that the department’s efforts to correct “unclear responsibilities for environment, safety and health matters” “are encouraging.” Sensenbrenner and Brown, who requested the report, wrote in their November letter to GAO that it “raised serious concerns about how well the Department of Energy is managing not only Brookhaven but also its entire national laboratory complex.” They cite previous findings of “mission drift in the laboratories and how the department micromanages the labs.” While commenting favorably on the DOE Laboratory Operating Board and the implementation of management changes, the representatives state “we remain concerned about the impact and pace of these changes and the extent to which DOE and the labs are achieving any real change, especially given the revelations from the Brookhaven incident.”

Sensenbrenner and Brown asked GAO to do a new study answering seven “key questions.” These questions center on previously identified DOE laboratory management weaknesses; corrective recommendations; DOE and laboratory response to, and implementation of, these recommendations; effectiveness of performance-based contracts; additional changes required on all levels; and external regulation of facilities. The letter did not specify a completion date. GAO took five months to write the BNL report.

In a House Science Committee press release on the GAO report, Sensenbrenner cited “serious concerns about DOE management and environmental compliance,” He called for “strong Committee oversight, including hearings next year, in order to address these issues.”

As a follow-up to FYI #145 on DOE’s selection of Brookhaven Science Associates to manage BNL: The November 26 issue of “Newsday” reported that Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) called the award “magnificent.” He is bringing Senate Budget Committee Chair Pete Domenici (R-NM) to BNL next Monday to press for additional funding for the facility. D’Amato said he awaits completion of the Environmental Impact Study before reassessing his opposition to restarting the High Flux Beam Reactor. He is “tremendously encouraged” about the Study process. Rep. Michael Forbes (R-NY) also favors the selection of the new contractor.