February 11, 2005

Margaret Chu, Director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Resigns

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of Energy today announced that Dr. Margaret Chu, director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, has resigned effective on or about February 25, 2005. Dr. Chu indicated she will return to her home in New Mexico due to personal circumstances.

"I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to serve the President and to lead a program of such national and international importance," Dr. Chu said. "I am proud to have been a part of this Administration and of making critical progress with Yucca Mountain."

On March 6, 2002, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. Chu as director of the Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. As director, Dr. Chu was responsible for advising the Secretary of Energy and the President on issues surrounding the ongoing scientific research and licensing of the nation's first permanent geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.

Dr. Chu previously served as director of nuclear waste management at the Energy Department's Sandia National Laboratories. She also served as Sandia manager for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant activities. She received her bachelor's degree from Purdue University and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Minnesota.

Head of Yucca nuclear waste program quits

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H. Josef Hebert

Feb. 11, 2005 | Washington -- The official in charge of building the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada has submitted her resignation, the Energy Department announced Friday.

The departure of Margaret Chu as director of the department's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management comes at a time when the Yucca Mountain program has been delayed because of budget cuts and problems developing acceptable radiation safety standards.

The department said in a statement that Chu was leaving "due to personal circumstances" and that she plans to return to New Mexico. The resignation is effective Feb. 25, the statement said.

In Nevada, Bob Loux, head of the state office that has been fighting the proposed waste dump, said Chu's departure was not expected to change the Bush administration's determination to pursue the Yucca waste repository 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

"Clearly, the important decisions were being made elsewhere by other people," Loux said. The Yucca Mountain project remains a top priority at the White House and the department, Samuel Bodman, the new energy secretary, told a congressional hearing this week.