NATIONAL LABORATORIES
New Luján legislation aims to improve growth, innovation, and opportunities at national labs
ECA Staff | 2/27/2020
Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced a package of five bills this week called the Innovate to Create package, which aims to improve job opportunities, innovation, and modernization at national laboratories. Luján is currently the House Assistant Speaker, co-chair of the House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus, and co-chair of the National Labs Caucus.
National laboratories are present in several ECA members’ communities across the complex. For many, the labs are economic drivers for the local communities. At the same time, states, cities, and counties that host national labs play a critical role in the success of the labs’ missions by providing a workforce, municipal services, and other benefits.
ECA has worked with communities, DOE, and NNSA to ensure that the interdependent needs of both parties are met. Member communities continue to work with their elected officials to address housing for employees, modernizing infrastructure, and fully funding their missions. In May, ECA will host a conference in Santa Fe that will include discussions about workforce needs and solutions, including the development of the next generation’s national lab workforce.
Per a statement released by Rep. Luján, the new legislative package addresses several issues:
- The TechSMART Workforce Development Act addresses the unmet need for training for STEM careers by investing in professional development and training for high-demand jobs, including at New Mexico’s national laboratories. The legislation creates a jobs pipeline by supporting apprenticeship programs, local partnerships, and
eliminating barriers to employment.
- The Community Solar Consumer Choice Act supports the growth of solar energy by making community solar more accessible to lower-income communities. Currently, 50 percent of American households and businesses cannot afford the cost of solar installation or live in buildings that cannot host solar panels. Directing new resources to
expand solar power through community solar projects is not only a tangible way to combat the climate crisis but will also open the pathway to high-paying green economy jobs.
- The Public Library Innovation Space Act harnesses public libraries to promote the development of ‘Maker Spaces’ to encourage innovation, economic development, and job creation. By inspiring, teaching, and invigorating our communities through technology, innovation, arts, and other foundational skills, we can create opportunities
for individuals to secure high-tech jobs. Nearly one-third of all U.S. public libraries serve communities of 2,500 residents or fewer, making this legislation critically important for rural Americans to access the technologies that are the foundation of our economy.
- The Leveraging our National Labs to Develop Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders Act strengthens the Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, which utilizes national laboratories to train and develop the next generation of tech entrepreneurs to meet the broader challenges and needs facing our
communities.
- The Restore and Modernize Our National Labs Act invests $6 billion to modernize the infrastructure of our national laboratories and ensure our laboratories can focus on the science and technology challenges of the future.
| Save the date for the 2020 National Cleanup Workshop!
September 16-18, 2020
Hilton Alexandria
Mark Center
Alexandria, VA
Follow the latest DOE budget updates with ECA's budget tracker
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Personnel Updates from EM
ECA Staff | 2/27/2020
1. Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for EM Field Operations (EM 3)
2. Acting Director of Communications (EM 5.3)
- Mike Nartker has been competitively selected to serve as the Acting Director of Communications (EM 5.3). Since returning to EM in July 2019, Mike has served as a strategy and communications advisor to the EM front office. Mike’s previous positions in DOE have included serving as the Director of Congressional Services and Information in the DOE Office of Congressional and
Intergovernmental Affairs and as EM External Affairs Director.
- Jeanne Beard had been acting as the Director of Communications.
NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
Radioactive objects recovered from DP Road construction site
LA Monitor | 2/25/2020
A construction crew working at a site on DP Road Feb. 14 unearthed radioactive materials that were buried in the ground. A Radiological Assistance Program Team Thursday from the National Nuclear Security Administration examined the materials, and determined they
posed no risk to public health.
The land the crew was working on was transferred to the county from the Department of Energy in January 2018. The materials were found to be contaminated by uranium and plutonium.
Los Alamos County Manager Harry Burgess is currently waiting for a report from the NNSA "to determine a path forward."
"I was happy they came out to support us on it because the land was already transferred," Burgess said. "They retained responsibility for the things that were found, so they were quick to come out."
DEACTIVATION & DEMOLITION
Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation
Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation.
Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications
Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local
governments.
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