Study: Security lacking at Test Site

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 | 11:22 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Security is lacking at the nation's nuclear weapons sites, including the Nevada Test Site, according to a recent report, but government officials say many improvements already have been made since the inspections that were the basis for the report.

The study also backs a long-considered proposal that nuclear weapons and materials should be consolidated at fewer, better protected sites. It identifies the isolated, under-utilized Nevada Test Site, 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas, and Idaho National Laboratory as two logical choices for consolidation.

The Test Site is already accepting at its high-security Device Assembly Facility some weapons-grade nuclear materials from the Technical Area 18 site at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

The 121-page report was commissioned by the Energy Department, authored by retired U.S. Navy Adm. Richard Mies. It was made public earlier this month.

Among the report's findings was that the National Nuclear Security Administration, the semi-autonomous agency affiliated with the Energy Department that runs the Test Site, is plagued by cultural problems that hamper security. The report notes that the problems include:

The lack of team approach to security.

An underappreciation of security, which is not fully embraced by everyone as integral to the weapons sites' missions.

A bias against training.

A lack of trust in the security organization.

An absence of accountability.

Security at the Nevada Test Site has been faulted. Security guards in a mock attack exercise in August 2004 rated poorly. In another instance, an Energy Department audit noted that a guard brought unauthorized handguns to the Test Site during a 2003 training event.

The security firm Wackenhut, which provides security for a number of nuclear plants and other facilities nationwide, has been the contracted security firm at the Test Site since 1965. The firm is being paid $44 million this year.

Wackenhut's current contract expires Sept. 30, and bids are under review, including a Wackenhut bid to continue work. But it is not known when the job award will be announced, spokesman Kevin Rohrer said.

NNSA officials have said the Test Site is secure and that improvements have been made since last year.

The NNSA has already implemented 70 percent of the recommendations from the Mies report, NNSA Administrator Linton Brooks said. He commissioned the study in 2002.

"I believe that security oversight and execution are greatly improved over where we were when I asked for this review," Brooks said in a written statement.

"Admiral Mies advised NNSA about his findings as the review was under way and that has helped us get to where we are today."