NRC’s Jaczko Backed by U.S. Senate Democrats in Agency Feud
U.S. Senate Democrats defended Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko in a feud with his colleagues and criticized other commissioners for delaying the agency’s response to Japan’s nuclear disaster.
Critics of Jaczko’s leadership are trying to “assassinate the character of a dedicated public servant,” Senator Barbara Boxer said today at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in Washington.
Jaczko, 41, and his colleagues returned to Congress a day after a House committee examined accusations by the four other commissioners that the chairman bullied agency employees, humiliated female workers and blocked information from being shared. The chairman denied the complaints, saying many actions have been “misconstrued.”
Jaczko, elevated to chairman by President Barack Obama, said today he accepted a “share of responsibility” for the rift with the four other commissioners. He told the Senate panel that he is committed to working with his colleagues.
The NRC, which regulates 104 U.S. commercial reactors, is considering rules to improve nuclear plant safety after an earthquake and tsunami caused radiation leaks and meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501)’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi facility.
“It’s simply inexcusable” the NRC hasn’t moved quickly to implement rules after the disaster, Boxer, a California Democrat and chairman of the committee, said at the hearing on the agency’s post-Fukushima safety review. Boxer said the House hearing yesterday on Jaczko’s leadership was a “witch hunt” and she vowed to focus on the response to the Japan crisis.
‘Can’t Be Ignored’
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and Boxer’s panel held hearings after Jaczko’s four colleagues told White House Chief of Staff William Daley in an Oct. 13 letter that the NRC chairman’s actions have created a “chilled work environment” and caused “serious damage” to the agency.
“Chairman Jaczko’s actions simply can’t be ignored,” Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the Committee, said today. “The White House appears to be ignoring the warning of four commissioners.”
Commissioner George Apostolakis said the commissioners didn’t conspire to weaken the agency’s actions since the Fukushima crisis by delaying a task-force’s recommendations.
“I find it deeply offensive that ill motives are ascribed to us,” Apostolakis said.
Verbal Abuse
Three female employees of the NRC complained that Jaczko verbally abused them in separate instances, Commissioner William Magwood told the House panel yesterday. Jaczko said today he was “mortified” at those statements.
“I have never intentionally berated, threatened, bullied or intimidated any member of the staff,” he said. “There are times at which I can question people intensely.”
Senator Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont who often votes with Democrats, asked Magwood whether he has considered the NRC chairman’s seat should Jaczko step down.
“I’ve never really expressed much interest in being chairman,” Magwood said. Magwood said he wouldn’t necessarily decline the offer if the president asked him to be chairman.
The NRC may soon issue Southern Co. (SO) of Atlanta and Scana Corp. (SCG) of Cayce, South Carolina, the first permits to build U.S. reactors in more than 30 years. A majority of the commission has voted to back the AP1000 design from Toshiba Corp. (6502)’s Westinghouse Electric unit, which Southern and Scana plan to build at existing plants.
The NRC hasn’t held a final vote to affirm the AP1000, a necessary step before the companies can obtain construction and operating licenses for the new reactors.
“We need for this commission to bring it’s A-game to work every day,” Senator Tom Carper, a Delaware Democrat, said at today’s hearing.
To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Wingfield in Washington at bwingfield3@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Larry Liebert at lliebert@bloomberg.net
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