Nuke chief's behavior of 'grave' concern

WASHINGTON -- Four Nuclear Regulatory commissioners say they have "grave concerns" about the panel's chairman, charging that the actions of Gregory Jaczko are "causing serious damage" to the commission and creating a "chilled work environment at the NRC."

In a letter to the White House, the commissioners say Jaczko's bullying style could adversely affect the agency's mission to protect health and safety at the nation's 104 commercial nuclear reactors.

The two-page letter, signed by four of Jaczko's colleagues on the five-member panel, stops short of calling for the chairman to resign. But it says he "intimidated and bullied" senior career staff, ordered staff to withhold information and ignored the will of the panel's majority.

The letter was signed by Democrats William Magwood and George Apostolakis, as well as Republicans Kristine Svinicki and William Ostendorff.

Jaczko, in a detailed response also sent to the White House, said problems at the agency were not his fault but instead stem from "lack of understanding" on the part of the other four commissioners.

The dueling letters come as Jaczko faces hearings in the House and Senate next week.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid defended Jaczko yesterday.

A spokesman for Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said the four commissioners were waging "a politically-motivated witch hunt" against Jaczko, a former Reid aide.

Commission members and staffers have long complained about Jaczko's brusque style, particularly when it comes to a decision he made last year to shut down the technical review of a proposed nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.

GOP lawmakers also complained that Jaczko may have acted illegally when he declared in March that Japan's nuclear crisis constituted an emergency in the United States.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the letter from the four NRC commissioners shows a breach in trust among the five-member panel. Issa's committee is to hold a hearing on the NRC on Wednesday.