Energy Department moves to boost security at nuclear labs

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham Friday announced plans for widespread security upgrades to better protect U.S. nuclear weapon laboratories from potential terrorist attacks.

Speaking at the Savannah River nuclear site in Aiken, S.C., Abraham said plans include:

• Consolidating nuclear material. Abraham said the number of facilities that require the highest level of protection would be reduced. Specific plans include permanently removing weapon-grade nuclear material from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico; expediting construction of a Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee, allowing on-site consolidation of nuclear materials; and possible relocation of defense-related work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, allowing for removal of weapon-grade nuclear material from the facility.
• Enhancing protective forces. The department would consider creating a specialized security unit to guard facilities, with training and capabilities similar to military special forces units.
• Federalization. Abraham discussed the possibility of federalizing DOE security forces, many of which now use contracted personnel.
• Protecting sensitive information. The department would expand performance testing of information systems to help "identify our actual and potential vulnerabilities to existing and emerging cyber threats."
• Keyless security environment. Citing past problems with lost keys at some installations, Abraham announced his intention to "do away with the use of mechanical keys," and replace them with new technologies.

"We must make certain changes," Abraham said. "We must adapt to a world that changed three Septembers ago," he added.