NM Labs fare well under president' s budget!

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_1ea77dbe-f6e2-5168-81c0-ce24ac1e0557.html

N.M. nuke spending would grow

N.M. nuke spending would grow By John Fleck and Michael Coleman Albuquerque Journal Thu, Apr 11, 2013 The Obama administration Wednesday proposed a 23 percent increase in the budget for U.S. nuclear weapons research, manufacturing and maintenance over the next five years. The increase, which in part would fund work at Los Alamos and Sandia labs in New Mexico, is an effort to refurbish aging nuclear weapons and the labs and plants needed to maintain them, even as the nation reduces the size of its nuclear stockpile, federal officials said during a series of budget briefings. The budget request asks Congress to provide $7.89 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons activities in fiscal year 2014, up from $7.56 billion this year. By 2018, the proposed weapons activities budget would rise to $9.29 billion in 2018, according to the budget request. At Los Alamos, overall spending by the NNSA and other programs within the Department of Energy would rise from $1.83 billion this year to $1.96 billion in 2014, a 7 percent increase. Included in that is a nearly $32 million increase in environmental cleanup money. The budget proposal also includes money to study alternatives at Los Alamos to the construction of a new plutonium research center, an over-budget multibillion-dollar project the Obama administration put on hold a year ago. The idea is to find a way to build a “smaller and cheaper” project that will still meet the needs for plutonium research and bomb part manufacturing, acting NNSA chief Neile Miller told reporters in a telephone briefing. At Sandia National Laboratories, total spending by the NNSA and other Department of Energy programs in 2014 would be $1.81 billion, essentially unchanged from the current year. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, a nuclear waste disposal site, would get $203 million under the proposed budget, down from $215 million this year. Overall, New Mexico spending by the Department of Energy, primarily nuclear weapons work but also other research at the labs and elsewhere, would rise from $4.48 billion to $4.65 billion next year, a 4 percent increase. New Mexico’s fiscal gain is South Carolina’s loss. NNSA officials slashed money for an over-budget South Carolina plutonium disposal program as a way of making ends meet, officials said Wednesday.

Surviving at LLNL in an Era of Shrinking Take Home Pay

Hello, SPSE-UPTE would like to invite you to our second Noontime Talk on "Surviving at LLNL in an Era of Shrinking Take Home Pay." Details can be found here: http://www.upte.org/spse/MatchExpSemIIfinal.pdf Thanks, Riki Gay President, SPSE-UPTE Local 11 spse@spse.org 925-449-4846

Bike helmets

Are you glad that Lab management is looking out for your future and requiring the use of bicycle helmets?

Energy nominee supports nuclear complex

Energy nominee supports nuclear complex By Michael Coleman Albuquerque Journal Washington Bureau Wed, Apr 10, 2013 WASHINGTON – Ernest Moniz, President Obama’s nominee for energy secretary, offered strong support for the nation’s nuclear weapons complex, as well as enhanced domestic natural gas production, during his confirmation hearing Tuesday. Obama has tapped Moniz, director of MIT’s Energy Initiative, to lead the Department of Energy, which oversees New Mexico’s two nuclear laboratories. In his testimony to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, Moniz pointed out that he has significant experience in the nuclear weapons realm. In the late 1990s, Moniz led a review of DOE’s stockpile stewardship program, and he has helped negotiate for heightened security of Russian nuclear weapons materials. Moniz told the committee Tuesday that nuclear stockpile stewardship will remain a critical part of the Department of Energy’s mission. “DOE expertise, to a large extent drawing on the knowledge, skills and commitment of our national laboratory scientists and a technically versed intelligence group, is critical to our national defense,” he said. “If confirmed, I intend to make sure these DOE assets continue to sustain the nation’s nuclear security.” Moniz’s remarks, delivered during his opening statement, could reassure those concerned about deep cuts in nuclear weapons spending during Obama’s second term. A greatly constricted federal budget climate, coupled with Obama’s stated goals of reducing the nation’s nuclear stockpile, have some advocates of Los Alamos and Sandia National laboratories in New Mexico worried about budget cuts. The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a consortium of groups critical of U.S. nuclear policy, is gathering in Washington this week to protest what it calls bloated spending on nuclear weapons at the expense of nuclear cleanup. “The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability is concerned that out-of-control spending on nuclear weapons will divert resources from legally required environmental cleanup, dismantlement, and critical nonproliferation efforts,” the groups said in a statement. Moniz also lauded increased natural gas production but stopped short of endorsing U.S. exports of the fuel. He said that if confirmed, he would support renewable energy such as wind and solar, along with coal and nuclear power. “The president is an all-of-the above person, and I am an all-of-the above person,” Moniz said. Moniz had a familiar advocate in his corner at this morning’s hearing. Former Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat and former chairman of the Senate energy committee, formally introduced him to the committee. Bingaman offered a glowing review of Moniz’s qualifications, lauding his scientific expertise, management capabilities and “unquestionable” ability to oversee the nation’s nuclear weapons complex.

CI CIO!

Well, the posting for the new CIO is out. I wonder if the "third time is the charm". Let's hope they get it right this time! I'm not sure if we have a good pool of internal candidates. Most have applied before and have been rejected.

Suggested poll... Look for it in this page.

Money is tight and NIF is EBAing people, assigning them new jobs and working those that are left twice as hard. I think it’s time for NNSA to step in and do what is right. I think it’s time to run a poll with multiple choices. The question would be something like. What incentive if offered by NNSA would most likely guarantee your departure before Oct 1st, 2013? If possible allow them to identify themselves by age. 1) One weeks pay for every year of service 2) Two weeks pay for every year of servive 3) Seperation check equal to two years wages 4) One years wages tax free into your 401k or 403b