The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) needs your help! This independent federal agency provides expert oversight capacity to sites with significant quantities of radioactive material like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
DNFSB reviews proposals for nuclear experiments and activities and inspects these facilities during operations. If it finds that the sites are not using best practices to protect workers and surrounding communities from potential releases of nuclear material, it can issue recommendations to the Department of Energy.
The DNFSB recently came to Livermore with a message – it is being prevented from carrying out its mission. Its staff shared stories of sites around the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons complex in which DNFSB has been denied access to databases, meetings, reports and physical access, despite being assured access by statute and memorandums of understanding. The Secretary of Energy even issued a letter directing DOE site managers NOT to cooperate with DNFSB requests! Click here to read our more detailed blog about the DNFSB access problems.
As an organization that relies on the DNFSB’s site reports to carry out our own monitoring and as a community that is directly affected by a lack of accountability and oversight at LLNL, we at Tri-Valley CAREs have to stand up for nuclear safety!
Together with our 30+ colleague groups at the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, we have drafted a letter to senators and members of the House of Representatives who sit on committees that can take action to protect the DNFSB in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will be brought up right after the November election..
In California, we have three House Members who sit on the relevant Armed Services Committee who have received the letter – Representatives John Garamendi (Richmond, Fairfield, Vallejo), Salud Carbajal (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura) and George Whitesides (Santa Clarita, Palmdade).
The Ask
Call or email either the Representative whose district is closest to yours, or contact all three!
- Rep. John Garamendi: (202) 225-1880 | Contact his office by email
- Rep. Salud Carbajal: (202) 225-3601 | Email his office.
- Rep. George Whitesides: (202) 225-1956 | Contact his office by email
If you email them, you can download and attach the ANA letter to your email.
Here is a Sample Email:
Dear…,
I write today as a constituent/California resident concerned about nuclear safety and oversight at DOE/NNSA nuclear facilities.
Together with the 30+ organizations that make up the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, we have drafted the attached emergency letter seeking congressional support for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB).
Congressional action is needed to protect the important oversight responsibilities of this small agency that is crucial to the communities that surround these sites, including Livermore, CA.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, please insert and support provisions in the Fiscal Year 2027 NDAA that protect the DNFSB’s independent oversight and require DOE to provide the access to facilities, personnel and information the Board needs to carry out its mission.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Here is a Sample Call in Script:
I am calling as a constituent/California resident concerned about nuclear safety and oversight at DOE/NNSA nuclear facilities. I am following up on an emergency letter from the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability sent to your office seeking support for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.
Congressional action is needed to protect the important oversight responsibilities of this small agency that is crucial to the communities that surround these sites, including Livermore, CA.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, please insert and support provisions in the Fiscal Year 2027 NDAA that protect the DNFSB’s independent oversight and require DOE to provide the access to facilities, personnel and information the Board needs to carry out its mission. We will be sending this letter out to congressional offices and hopefully having conversations this week about ways that congress can take action to support nuclear safety.
Thank you