ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Federal officials plan to issue a temporary contract for nuclear waste cleanup operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory while those responsibilities are shifted away from the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz announced earlier this year he would pull cleanup operations from the contractor that runs the lab after a barrel of waste packed at Los Alamos leaked and forced the closure of the government's underground nuclear waste repository in southern New Mexico.
Agency officials said Wednesday they believe it's appropriate to award the short-term contract to lab manager Los Alamos National Security to avoid any disruption during the interim.
The Energy Department's Office of Environmental Management will oversee the contract.
Officials say it could be two years before the agency issues long-term contracts for the work.