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For Immediate Release
October, 15 2009, 12:17pm EDT
Contact:
Caitlin MacNeal,COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER,(202) 347-1122,cmacneal@pogo.org
POGO Opposes White House Nomination of Industry Cheerleader for Nuclear Regulatory Commission
WASHINGTON
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) expressed its strong
concern about President Obama's choice of William Magwood to fill a
vacant seat on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In a letter
sent to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Chair Senator
Barbara Boxer and Ranking Member James Inhofe yesterday, POGO
questioned Mr. Magwood's ability to effectively oversee and regulate
the more than 120 licenses and renewal applications currently and soon
to be before the Commission, and opposed his nomination.
"This nomination flies in the face of the spirit of President
Obama's commitment to high ethical standards for the Administration's
appointees," said POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian. "We believe
it should be examined in the full light of public and congressional
scrutiny."
Since his retirement from government service in 2005,
Mr. Magwood has been actively involved in efforts to advance nuclear
industry business opportunities domestically and abroad. Mr. Magwood
has also been an investor and an officer at Secure Energy North America
Corporation, a company that is "working with industry and investors to
develop novel approaches to finance new nuclear power stations in the
United States."
POGO also expressed its concern that, should Mr.
Magwood be confirmed, it would undermine the oversight and regulatory
function of the NRC. POGO asked the Committee to examine whether Mr.
Magwood's independence from the nuclear energy industry was sufficient
to effectively regulate the uses of nuclear materials and facilities in
the United States, enforce health and safety standards, and hold
licensees accountable for damage to property caused by nuclear
activities.
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve a more effective, accountable, open and honest federal government.
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