LLNL - The True Story -

https://www. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/25/sen-tom-udall-wont-seek-reelection-in-2020-1235127

NIF averts a major lay off in FY19, and LLNL overall FY20 budget if passed, largest in proportion to its FY19 budget "We also assess that the cuts will significantly delay the pursuit of fusion ignition and yield on the NIF, and means we will not meet the NNSA goal set out for 2020. At LLNL, the proposed budget eliminates funding for nearly half of the scientists and engineers working on the ignition effort, representing a significant portion of the U.S. expertise in this area."  http://www.firefusionpower.org/HHRG-115-SY20-Wstate-HerrmannM-20180306.pdf "The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California would get the largest proportional budget increase in 2020, if the NNSA’s request became law. The agency seeks about $1.8 billion, which is more than 17.5 percent, or $280 roughly million, above the 2019 appropriation of $1.5 billion. Livermore is leading the W80-4 life-extension program to modernize the warhead slated to top the Pentagon’s new nuclear-tipped, air-...

"DOE Pushes Back on Suggestion That Local Feds Investigate Subcontractor Ownership Ties"  Local DOE officials should “independently review subcontractor ownership information as part of DOE consent reviews and assess potential conflicts of interest to ensure contractors are mitigating them,” GAO auditors said in a 76-page report published Tuesday...A notable example of subcontractors party to prime contracts in the NNSA enterprise is Bechtel National. The company is the lead partner on Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS), operator of the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn...At Y-12, the company is also building the Uranium Processing Facility under a subcontract to CNS. https://www.exchangemonitor.com/doe-pushes-back-suggestion-local-feds-investigate-subcontractor-ownership-ties/

A few LANL rumors at LANL. There is some talk that the future is in fact pits, where the idea is is that by 2025 it will become clear that Savanah River cannot do pits and the whole thing goes to LANL. This will completely change the culture at the lab and transform it into a full manufacturing facility.  Another rumor is that there is a war between some of the managers which have very different visions of where the lab should be going under Triad. Again some people are saying that our future is more manufacturing and are pushing for new hires in this area.  Lots of hiring of people however the quality leaves something to be desired but LANL needs more and more people.

Some Hanford workers not owed full pensions; could decision impact thousands more? "An appeals court has found that the Department of Energy has no obligation to provide full pension benefits to some Hanford nuclear reservation workers who filed a class action lawsuit...The lower court found that DOE was not obligated to offer Hanford workers continued full pension and retirement benefits after they were required to switch from one employer to another in a 1996 contracting change." https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article224274035.html

https://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/doe-to-investigate-nuclear-repository-after-alleged-exposure/5257993/

Bill upholds tax levy on national labs BY KATY BARNITZ / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Monday, February 25th, 2019 at 12:05am Legislation that would allow New Mexico to continue taxing national laboratory operators even when they have nonprofit status quickly made its way through the House on Sunday. A fiscal analysis of the bill found that if the prime contractor of Los Alamos National Laboratory had tax-exempt status, the state could lose $25 million to $30 million in gross receipts tax revenue. Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, said Senate Bill 11 ensures revenue stability for local governments, too. The bill seeks to amend the section of state statute that exempts nonprofit organizations from paying GRT. It would create an exception permitting the state to tax nonprofits that have been contracted to operate a national laboratory. Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed similar legislation last year. The House passed the bill with a minor amendment that broadened the exception to include contracto...

Did employees working at LLNL go from a weakly democratic system of management under UC, to an unopposed for-profit dictatorship under LLNS? How could this not compromise all aspects of our Lab missions? To what extent is the commenter below from the "white privilege" topic correct?  "In this way discrimination is not a special issue at LANL or LLNL, it is just another thing you need to be silent about. Complain about safety, your in trouble, complain about abuse, your in trouble, complain about bad management your in trouble, complain about infrastructure your in trouble, complain about security your in trouble."

https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2019/02/21/wipp-federal-investigation-department-energy-hazardous-chemicals/2905747002/

"The suit alleges a total $6.4 million of dishonest claims, spurred by Wise Services, were submitted for repayment by MOX Services. The suit also alleges Wise Services provided cash; gift cards; YETI coolers; Masters, NASCAR and football tickets; phones; car tires; and guns, among other things, to MOX Services officials to gain favorable treatment.."Wise carefully chose the MOX officials and employees to whom it would improperly reward and pay kickbacks based upon their ability to provide favorable treatment to Wise in the award, modification, and administration of the Wise subcontracts," the complaint reads." https://www.aikenstandard.com/news/feds-file-false-claims-lawsuit-against-mox-contractor-subcontractor/article_42ca1d0a-3399-11e9-8886-271b8b4b71ab.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/us/politics/department-of-energy-sexual-assault.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/opinion/nuclear-site-guard-sexual-assault.html

Feds sue Hanford contractor, claiming kickbacks and lies defrauded taxpayers out of millions https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article226014785.html

As it is Black History month, Lab cultural celebrations and activities aside, is "White Privilege" a present day workplace issue at LLNL?

Now that LLNL has survived ten years past transition, and prospers, is it time to retire the tombstone on the masthead?

http://www.reader.us/experts-warn-trumps-new-low-yield-warheads-will-make-nuclear-war-more-likely/