Lawrence Susskind Discusses Mediation for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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Larry Susskind, CBI Founder and Chief Knowledge Officer, Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at MIT, was featured in a December 15 Reuters article by Roberta Rampton analyzing recent disputes within the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is preparing extensive regulatory reform for U.S. nuclear plants. However, internal dissension within the commission is hindering progress and commission chairman, Gregory Jaczko, has been accused of applying bullying tactics. According to the article, "Jaczko, who has close ties to congressional Democrats, has said he wants a mediator to help smooth what he describes as communications issues, and has said he does not intend to resign."

Susskind offers, "It might be worth one last-ditch effort to try to put it back together." He further states that, in order to ameliorate the dispute, commissioners would need to buy in to changes in structure and style, and come to a shared understanding of their responsibilities, and standards of accountability. "People have lost trust. You build trust by making contingent commitments going forward... as people do what they said they'd do, trust gets built."

Read the complete "Analysis: Hard to Fix U.S. Nuclear Agency After Inner Turmoil".