POLISCOPE
Back to feed
Part ofnuclear security →
FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Hearing on Infrastructure Risks in the Nuclear Security Enterprise

Original title: [H.A.S.C. No. 114-136] Deferred Maintenance In The Nuclear Security Enterprise: Safety and Mission Risks

January 1, 2017

nuclear securityinfrastructuredeferred maintenanceworkplace safetynational defense

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

The NNSA faces a $3.7 billion backlog of that threatens the safety of workers and the operational reliability of critical nuclear security facilities.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

NNSA workers

Employees work in facilities with aging infrastructure that poses safety risks.

National Nuclear Security Administration

The agency is responsible for managing the $3.7 billion maintenance backlog and mitigating mission risks.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This hearing transcript documents a 2016 Congressional review of the $3.7 billion maintenance backlog within the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Witnesses and committee members discussed how aging facilities, some dating back to the Manhattan Project, are creating safety hazards and threatening mission capabilities.

Key Facts

  • The NNSA has a $3.7 billion backlog of deferred maintenance.
  • Over 50% of NNSA's 6,000 real property assets are over 40 years old.
  • Nearly 30% of NNSA infrastructure dates back to the Manhattan Project era.
  • Reported infrastructure failures include leaking roofs over sensitive equipment, falling concrete, and failing utility systems.
  • Facilities at Pantex and Y-12 were originally intended to operate for only one decade.
  • Infrastructure failures are causing program delays and safety risks for workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'deferred maintenance' backlog?
It refers to $3.7 billion worth of necessary repairs and infrastructure upgrades that have been postponed over several decades.
Why are these facilities in such poor condition?
Many facilities were built in the 1940s for short-term use and have significantly exceeded their intended operational lifespan.

Why It Matters

The NNSA faces a $3.7 billion backlog of that threatens the safety of workers and the operational reliability of critical nuclear security facilities.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Infrastructure Lifecycle Failure

The document highlights a systemic failure where facilities built for 10-year lifespans are still in use 70 years later.

National Nuclear Security AdministrationPantexY-12

Connected Entities

personCharles F. McMillan“Laboratory Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory”Map →
personFrank G. Klotz“Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration”Map →
organizationNational Nuclear Security Administration“The federal agency responsible for nuclear security infrastructure”Map →
personMike Rogers“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces”Map →
personJim Cooper“Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces”Map →
personMorgan Smith“President and CEO, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record