The University of California-managed Los Alamos National
Laboratory continues to be plagued with security problems that
could jeopardize the UC’s contract to manage the lab as well
as the existence of the lab.
Fifteen workers at the lab were placed on investigatory leave
July 22 for security violations involving the loss of data, and
four were placed on leave for a separate safety incident involving
an intern who suffered an eye injury from a laser.
The latest security incident involving the loss of two devices
containing classified material prompted a stoppage of all
classified work at the lab. Though officials said there is no
reason to believe the devices have gotten out of the lab, the
devices have not been found since they were reported missing July
6.
Lab Director Pete Nanos said there was substantial evidence that
the loss of data was due to a “cultural” problem at the
lab where individuals felt they did not need to follow all safety
and security rules.
Nanos told employees July 22 that the suspension of work at the
lab is costing the federal government hundreds of millions of
dollars and that he believes the lab is likely to experience
revenue losses as customers leave the institution.
“The issue now is not whether the UC contract is at risk
(but if) most laboratory work will be moved elsewhere,” Nanos
said.
The security issues at Los Alamos also prompted the U.S.
Department of Energy to halt classified work on July 23 in
facilities around the country that use disks like those missing
from the New Mexico lab.
“While we have no evidence that the problems currently
being investigated are present elsewhere, we have a responsibility
to take all necessary action to prevent such problems from
occurring at all,” said Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham in a
press release on July 23.
Officials said classified work at Los Alamos and at the other
laboratories will not resume until all security issues have been
addressed.
Los Alamos spokesman Jim Fallin said the process of resuming
classified work could take weeks, if not months for some Los Alamos
departments at the lab.
“We’re not in a race. This is not about how fast we
can get it done. This is about doing what is necessary to get this
lab back on track,” Fallin said.
Nanos said the “inability to provide a safe secure
environment is something I never want to see repeated.”
The Department of Energy put all lab management contracts up for
bid after problems such as misappropriation of funds, missing
inventory and misplaced classified data plagued the UC-managed
labs.
Recently the Department of Energy extended the UC’s
contract for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to 2007. But
management contracts of the Los Alamos and Berkeley National labs
will be up for bid in 2005.
The latest security incident seriously could damage the
UC’s credibility if it decides to compete for the
contracts.
“There’s a belief among some very powerful people in
Congress that academic culture and running a high security national
laboratory are totally incompatible and scientists can’t be
trusted," Nanos said.
Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., a member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, already has introduced legislation asking that
the UC end its role as manager of operations.
A longtime proponent of the lab, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.,
issued an open letter to Los Alamos employees July 22 in which he
said “Today, in Washington, Los Alamos’ reputation as a
crown jewel of science is being eclipsed by a reputation as being
both dysfunctional and untouchable. “¦ As the proudest
defender of the laboratory, I can tell you that the defense can no
longer be sustained unless the laboratory changes.”
With reports from Richard Clough, Bruin senior
staff