Watchdog says top U.S. nuclear cop "ruling by intimidation"

[ensho]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110610/pl_nm/us_usa_nuclear_waste


The head of the U.S. nuclear safety regulator loses his temper and uses threats and intimidation to try to get his way, the agency's own independent watchdog said in a report.

The report paints a picture of a toxic work environment at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission at a time when the agency is working through whether it needs to change rules and oversee any expansion of the nuclear industry in the wake of the disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant.

Gregory Jaczko, appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the NRC, did not break the law in his actions on one of the most controversial policy issues the NRC has faced -- what to do about a nuclear dump proposed for Yucca Mountain, Nevada, said Inspector General Hubert Bell in a 46-page report.

-snip-

Jaczko "withholds information to the commission by either suppressing papers or manipulating the agenda planning process," commissioners' staff told the IG, and "often yelled at people," according to a former chairman.
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cripe

[KittyWampus]

1. This is Republicans complaining about closing Yucca. Did you even read the article?

"The Obama administration killed the Yucca proposal after taking office. Before his appointment to the five-member commission, Jaczko was a top aide to Nevada senator Harry Reid, a senior Democrat and the top political opponent of the site.

Before the report was made public, Jaczko said the inspector general had cleared his actions, adding that he hoped the report would settle this matter.
Instead, the findings give new fuel to Republican lawmakers who want to revive Yucca.

"The report reveals a calculating and political NRC chairman who has abused his authority, who sought to suppress scientific reports and withhold information from fellow commissioners -- strategically working to rig the system in a no holds barred effort to derail the Yucca Mountain repository," said Representative John Shimkus, an Illinois Republican."

[crikkett]

2. ....at a time when they should be closing all nuclear reactors down.

Screw changing rules and overseeing expansion of the nuclear industry.

Fukushima may kill us all.

[Cannikin]

3. Welcome to the United States (The United States is a subsidiary of GE corp and is trademarked)