ALBUQUERQUE -- On Thursday, Feb. 18, the Administrator of the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz (Ret.), Sen. Martin Heinrich (N.M.), and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) will visit the NNSA’s Albuquerque Complex and discuss the status of the current NNSA administrative workspace in Albuquerque and the proposal to construct a new facility for the 1,100 employees who work there.
BACKGROUND: The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) proposes to construct a new facility for the 1,100 employees who work at the agency’s Albuquerque Complex at Kirtland Air Force Base. The existing site does not meet the same facility standards maintained at other NNSA facilities. Portions of the current facility, a former military barracks, are more than 60 years old with a number of safety, health, and quality of life issues.
NNSA leadership is committed to the safety and well-being of its employees. New construction would allow for a modern and efficient facility suited for NNSA’s needs in Albuquerque. The NNSA Albuquerque Complex Project is a top priority for the NNSA Administrator, and NNSA is requesting funding authority from Congress for this construction.
BACKGROUND: The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) proposes to construct a new facility for the 1,100 employees who work at the agency’s Albuquerque Complex at Kirtland Air Force Base. The existing site does not meet the same facility standards maintained at other NNSA facilities. Portions of the current facility, a former military barracks, are more than 60 years old with a number of safety, health, and quality of life issues.
NNSA leadership is committed to the safety and well-being of its employees. New construction would allow for a modern and efficient facility suited for NNSA’s needs in Albuquerque. The NNSA Albuquerque Complex Project is a top priority for the NNSA Administrator, and NNSA is requesting funding authority from Congress for this construction.
Comments
Why didn't Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz (Ret.), Sen. Martin Heinrich (N.M.), and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01) come up with this idea? No; more money spent by the U.S. government to add to our huge national debt. And by the way, Sandia has the space but will not come forward to assist their key customer, who makes it sound (i.e. NNSA) like their offices are a "slum". While the outside NNSA offices are not new, the inside has been renovated, it's very contemporary, with color schemes and new carpeting.
Another "bilking of the U. S. taxpayers".
What on earth do these people do? I understand you need some NNSA people but 1000 on a completely separate site?
February 24, 2016 at 5:48 AM
What they don't do is handle two contract competitions at the same time (Sandia and LANL). Life must be good in there!
February 24, 2016 at 3:43 PM
I doubt much paper is being shuffled or pencils being pushed. I doubt much is going on at all.
February 24, 2016 at 9:23 PM
Yes but you are missing out on the 1000 in DC, 500 in California and 1000 elsewhere so it is more like 5000 to oversee 30000 people and yes there are many people at SNL and LANL that have the right to complain about wasting Federal dollars.
"Value added to the nation" remains a meaningless question.
February 25, 2016 at 3:21 PM
Those words applied to the first question (purpose) not the second (value added). Simple history vs subjective value judgement. Reading comprehension is important.
February 25, 2016 at 5:34 PM
Dancing? Do you mean actually caring about words and what they mean, as opposed to having an agenda and rejecting anything that doesn't agree with it? Woo Hoo, you win.
Ok, let us spell it out for you; there is no value added with the creation of NNSA. There is value subtracted.
NNSA makes it sound like they are in a "projects" slum shanty houses. Oh BS! They recently had the entire interiors completely re-modeled costing several $M. In fact, I seem to recall new red carpeting to make every NNSA employee feel like a king or queen when they walk in. The place looks brand new inside with real wood paneling, huge offices, oak desks, etc. Furthermore, many employees at the sites (e.g. LLNL, LANL) are in rat infested 50-year old single-wide trailers. Considering the non-value added of NNSA employees to National Security, this is defintely NOT NEEDED. Come on man!
I think the most important question Congress should be asking is not whether NNSA needs a a new facility, but, is the NNSA Agency needed! It's very apparent NNSA is trying "to sneak one in" in an election year before Obama is ousted. Contact your Congressman to get this STOPPED!
Really! NNSA has 1,100 employees in Albuquerque? What do they do, count money?
February 27, 2016 at 10:05 AM
Can't be that, they can't count.
February 27, 2016 at 5:05 AM
If LANS does not ask for budget to address substandard working conditions at LANL, you really can't expect NNSA to force it on them. Sure, NNSA owns the facilities, but upkeep and health/safety issues are LANS's responsibility while they hold the contract. Besides, employees have worked in "rat infested trailers" since I came to LANL in 1977. UC didn't do anything about it either.
February 27, 2016 at 1:55 PM
The so called scientists live in rat infested trailers. The real work is done in nice facilities. We try everything we can do to get rid of the dam scientists but they persist.
How did 1100 watchers not catch the use of the wrong kitty litter? What can 1100 watchers watch? Eavh other?
Cut 'em in half and keep in lowly digs. This is not an enterprise to encourage.
March 2, 2016 at 4:06 PM
Payback for sending us (LANL) Mara, Knapp, Anastasio, and McMillan.
March 3, 2016 at 4:54 AM
Is anyone from LLNL going to respond to this? Anybody? That's the problem with LLNL they have no "backbone", unless it's overselling Congress bad science and technology.
March 5, 2016 at 7:43 AM
Hey. Give the dudes out west a break! They are really, really busy trying to draft the next Phys Rev Letter announcing breakeven (or something, anything) on NIF.