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Ex-WSRC president tapped for fed board
7/24/2008 11:01 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By MIKE GELLATLY

Staff writer

The former head of Westinghouse Savannah River Company was nominated by the president Wednesday to become a member of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

A statement from the office of the White House press secretary revealed that Ambrose L. Schwallie had been nominated to serve a five-year term on the board.

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1988. The board's mandate under the Atomic Energy Act is to provide safety oversight of the nuclear weapons complex operated by the Department of Energy (DOE), of which the Savannah River Site is one.

Schwallie is the former chief executive officer and president of Westinghouse Savannah River Company and Washington Group International.

He believes his experience offers the board a unique insight.

"I bring a different perspective to the board," Schwallie said. "I am the first proposed member to come from the contracting community. I've had direct experience of operating in a DOE facility. I've sat across the table from the board when they were my regulator."

The position is full-time and Schwallie expects to have his feet on the ground a good portion of his time visiting facilities around the country.

"It's important that you be out in the field walking the facilities, interacting with employes ... to get a feel for what integrated safety management is all about," he said.

DOE must maintain readiness of the nuclear arsenal, dismantle surplus weapons, dispose of excess radioactive materials, clean up surplus facilities and construct new facilities for many purposes. The constant vigilance of the board is required to ensure that all of these activities are carried out by DOE in a manner that provides adequate protection for the public, workers and the environment, according to DOE.


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