Two national watchdog groups yesterday "accused the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of concealing significant safety problems" at government-owned uranium-processing plants in the months leading up to the privatization of the facilities.
Public Citizen and the Union of Concerned Scientists released internal NRC documents that describe "numerous" safety problems at the plants in Portsmouth, OH, and Paducah, KY. Among the violations cited were: "failure to adhere to safety requirements; improperly trained staff; failed systems; unintended emissions; poor maintenance; and more than 100 reports noting 'events' and lack of attention to detail."
At a public meeting at NRC headquarters held to discuss safety issues at various plants, "no mention was made" of the uranium-processing plants, the groups said. Such details should have been released to the public, which is at risk from potential releases of toxic substances, and to investors in US Enrichment Corp.-the new owner-which could see a sharp drop in its stock price, said David Lochbaum of the UCS.
The groups asked the Justice Dept. and Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate possible stock fraud. Government spokespersons declined to comment (Marcia Myers, Baltimore Sun, 9/16).
But Charles Yulish, an NRC spokesperson, "said the charge that safety issues were hushed up was 'preposterous.'" Another NRC spokesperson noted the plants had been the subject of several reports, press releases and public meetings in the months before the sale (Matthew Wald, New York Times, 9/16).
And the NRC in 7/98 publicly fined the Portsmouth plant $55,000 for several safety violations, said the agency's Beth Hayden. Hayden: "If we were so worried about stock options, we would not have put out a press release that said we were fining them" (Myers, Baltimore Sun).
NEXT STORY: Stevens expects omnibus spending measure