Los Alamos lab celebrates anniversary amid uncertainty over UC contract

By LESLIE HOFFMAN
Associated Press Writer

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) Los Alamos National Laboratory celebrated its 60th anniversary Tuesday amid uncertainty over who will end up running the birthplace of the atomic bomb in the years to come.

A parade of speakers from National Nuclear Security Administration head Linton Brooks to Gov. Bill Richardson, a former energy secretary commended the weapons facility for decades of cutting-edge science.

``Los Alamos owes its existence to a marriage of science and the fighting spirit of America,'' Brooks said.

However, the lab that grew out of the secret World War II Manhattan Project is now fighting to save its 60-year management contract with the University of California. A review of the contract requested by Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham is expected to be completed next week.

At the heart of the review are management, purchasing and inventory problems at the lab.

Allegations of weak financial oversight, costly cases of equipment theft and financial fraud arose late last year. The laboratory also was criticized for firing two investigators. Several lab officials have resigned or been demoted or fired in recent months.

UC President Richard Atkinson said the university ``cannot escape the experience of the last few months,'' but said the reality is that Los Alamos employees are committed to their scientific and national security mission.

With management improvements the lab and university are instituting, ``I'm confident that we will get to where we need to go,'' Atkinson said.

If the contract is put out to competitive bidding, he said, ``then our instinct is to compete and to compete hard.''

But he said that decision is up to UC regents.

The largest response from the crowd came from Richardson's endorsement of continuing the contract.

``I believe Los Alamos has done its best work under the management of the University of California,'' said Richardson, who renewed the contract two days before leaving office as energy secretary in the Clinton administration.

Richardson alluded to Abraham's pending decision and said, ``Why break up a family?''

The audience responded with thunderous applause.

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said that while he hopes the university keeps the contract, he has also told Abraham he believes the contract should eventually be open to competition.

``I worry that the attacks on Los Alamos will only intensify if we do not take dramatic action to improve the lab's management and reputation,'' he said.

Domenici, who has strongly supported the university, also said he will urge Abraham to make sure the University of California ``will be able to compete and compete well.'' And he said he hopes the university will always have a strong presence at the laboratory.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., advocated a slightly different approach. He said the university should be given time to resolve problems before the Energy Department decides whether to put it up for competitive bids in 2005.

``It's too early to tell whether it will be necessary to compete the contract,'' Bingaman said Tuesday.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)