Though management at the Los Alamos National Laboratory may not
have engaged in an actual cover-up attempt, lab officials did not
act correctly amid allegations of theft and missing equipment,
according to a Department of Energy report released Thursday.
The report, conducted by the office of DOE Inspector General
Gregory Friedman, did not conclude if officials at the lab, which
is managed by the University of California, intentionally hindered
investigations, though their actions, especially the firings of two
investigators, frustrated efforts to solve problems at LANL.
The firings, along with other cases of mismanagement,
“raise doubt about Los Alamos’ commitment to solving
noted problems … and were inconsistent with Laboratory and
University of California obligations,” wrote Friedman.
The report does not recommend the DOE rescind the
university’s lab contract, though it calls on the UC to make
improvements, including increased accountability for lab property
and better internal controls.
Ralph Hall, D-Texas, ranking member of the House Science
Committee, called for better management to prevent illegal
activity.
“While the IG found no evidence of criminal intent, it is
likely that the systems management in place allowed criminal
activity to occur. That must change,” he said.
In a statement, the UC said the DOE report was generally
consistent with the university’s findings.
Since the university substantively agrees with the report, the
university will not file a response.
“When you find that the conclusions are consistent, I
don’t think that there’s anything to respond to,”
said UC press aide Michael Reese.
The UC has rehired the two investigators, Glenn Walp and Steve
Doran, who were fired by lab managers in November after criticizing
management’s handling of alleged thefts. The UC concluded
they were improperly terminated, and assigned them to assist the
university in finding business and security problems at the
labs.
The firings were “incomprehensible,” wrote
Friedman.
Other problems detailed in the report include official
instructions telling LANL employees to “resist the temptation
“˜to spill your guts,'” and 363 computers lost,
stolen or missing in fiscal years 1999-2002.
Numbers on missing computers were provided by LANL management,
and not independently verified by the DOE report.
The report also did not assess the labs’ claim that no
classified data was compromised by the loss of the computers.
The UC is undertaking drastic restructuring of management at
LANL. In addition to hiring of former Vice Admiral George
“Pete” Nanos as interim director, the university has
replaced senior management in security, business and auditing
positions.
With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.