Porter requests falsified papers regarding Yucca

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, March 24, 2005 | 9:21 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., has asked the Energy and Interior departments to turn in all alleged falsified documents related to the Yucca Mountain project to his House subcommittee by the end of the month.

Porter, who is chairman of the House Federal Workforce and Agency Organization Subcommittee, plans to conduct a hearing April 5 in Washington, examining the recently discovered documentation problems now under investigation by both departments.

Last week, the Energy Department announced that it discovered e-mails from 1998 that indicated U.S. Geological Survey employees might have falsified scientific data while studying Yucca Mountain to serve as the nation's repository for nuclear waste. The fabricated data could affect water and climate studies at the mountain.

Porter wants the departments to produce all 20 e-mails and any other documents and records related to the problems, unredacted, by March 29.

Ron Martinson, the subcommittee staff director, said it is important for the subcommittee to get the clearest information and as close to the original documents as possible.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., are scheduled to testify before the panel as well as Gov. Kenny Guinn and Virginia-based attorney Joe Egan, who represents the state on Nevada issues.

Bob Loux, executive director for the Agency for Nuclear Project and Steve Frishman, a technical consultant for the state will also testify.

Porter has also invited Charles Groat, director of the U.S. Geological Survey, Ted Garrish, deputy director of the Yucca Mountain project, Earl Devaney, the Interior Department inspector general and Gregory Friedman, the Energy Department inspector general and B. John Garrick, chairman of the Nuclear Waste Techincal Review board to testify.