And DOE's letter contended any new changes in the spent fuel project's milestones should be nailed down soon so the public can comment on them in May or June. DOE's letter said the federal agency did not want to be surprised by changes in the spent fuel schedule after the milestones have gone out for public comment. The spent fuel project currently does not have a credible plan with costs and timetables nailed down, the letter's appendix said. The appendix said this increases the risk of regulatory agencies hitting DOE with enforcement actions and could prompt congressional and DOE headquarters investigations at Hanford. The letter said other consequences could be delays in moving the spent fuel away from the river and in completing other major Hanford cleanup projects.
Teamwork is poor.
The letter voiced concerns about making major management changes on the project, noting changes lead to time-consuming adjustment periods. The Fluor team is not making a satisfactory effort to control costs. While the Fluor team does well at identifying problems, there appears to be little urgency to fix them. Copyright 1998 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved.