Washington, DC (April 24, 2014) Today, the Department of Energy published its initial findings on the release of radiation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad that occurred Feb. 14. DOE officials and plant operators have done well to keep the community informed about the incident. Fortunately, they again confirmed this week that the release did not endanger the region and workers have returned to the site.

"While a striking indictment of the safety culture of WIPP, the report is a major step in the recovery and reopening of the site," said Congressman Steve Pearce. "The report clearly shows that immediate work needs to be done to improve safety at the plant. This is a vital step in the process of recovery for the community and plant workers.

"The report depicts a site, a contractor and a DOE that was ill-prepared for any hazardous or emergency situation – let alone a radiological event," Pearce said. "The contractor and DOE must make the recommended corrective actions before operations can or should continue at the site. I expect the DOE and the contractor to work diligently, to update, revise, and add safety and management policies that dictate daily operations at the site."

A copy of the DOE report can be found here.