The U.S. Department of Energy has appointed a new director to the field office that oversees the federal government’s troubled nuclear waste repository.
Todd Shrader is replacing Dana Bryson, who served as acting director for two months before announcing his retirement.
DOE officials say Shrader will be up to the challenge at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, which has been closed since a February 2014 radiation leak. They say Shrader has tackled some of the department’s toughest issues and is the right person to lead the team in Carlsbad as work continues toward reopening the underground repository.
Shrader previously served as head of the office responsible for supporting river protection work at the department’s Hanford site. He also worked on the licensing process for the Yucca Mountain Project in Nevada.
