Allison out as SRS manager

Jeff Allison's tenure as the top Department of Energy (DOE) official at the Savannah River Site has come to an end, and the position of Savannah River Site manager will be posted for applications.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Dae Chung announced Tuesday that Allison will be leaving his post and will become director of special projects at Savannah River, adding that the move comes as part of an "ongoing transition with the Environmental Management (EM) Program reorganization."

Allison was one of the longest-serving managers at any of the DOE weapons complex sites, having been in charge for seven years. His new position is described by DOE as one in which he will "help to facilitate the transition to the Acting Site Manager at the Savannah River Site and will serve as an adviser to the Site Manager on a variety of special projects."

"The portfolio for the Director of Special Projects includes the implementation of Administration initiatives and policy directives from the Secretary of Energy or DOE Headquarters, collaboration and coordination among program offices at SRS, public speaking on behalf of SRS, and other duties as assigned by the Site Manager," DOE told the Aiken Standard Tuesday.

"I would like to thank Jeff Allison for his many years of dedication and commitment to the Savannah River as the site manager," Chung wrote. "Jack Craig, the current director of the EM Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC), will be the acting site manager at SRS until a new manager comes on board."

Craig has served in various technical, management and executive leadership positions within DOE over the last 20 years, including being a Deputy Site Manager of DOE's Ohio Field Office.

Allison's move comes along with other changes announced by Chung.

Zack Smith, who is the federal project director for the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF), will assume responsibilities as the director of the Recovery Act (ARRA) Program at SRS. Vincent Adams, who held that position, has moved to the Portsmouth site to assume the site director position.

Tony Polk, formerly deputy federal project director, will assume responsibility managing the SWPF.

Allison's last few months at SRS have been marked by controversy surrounding his position. In fact, EM was set to relieve Allison of his position and move him to a director of small sites position in the fall of 2009, but that move stalled.

At that time, Allison said Chung and Deputy Assistant Secretary Ines Triay were creating a hostile work environment and he was being ousted in retaliation for cooperating with an ethics investigation into the activities of then DOE-EM Recovery Act head Cynthia Anderson.

Contact Mike Gellatly at mgellatly@aikenstandard.com.