The top grades Pacific Northwest National Laboratory received from the Department of Energy Monday came with a concrete show of the agency's approval: the promise of $6.8 million.

Based on performance, the Richland national lab could have received nothing or as much as $7.1 million.

"The nice thing about this evaluation was we had outstanding (rankings) across the board," said Gerry Stokes, associate director of PNNL.

Not only did the laboratory receive an overall rating of "outstanding" - DOE's highest - but it also received outstanding ratings in each of four areas DOE considered.

PNNL received its first overall outstanding rating last year but only because DOE spotted it 0.2 because it came so close to the 4.5 points needed for the top ranking. This year, the lab scored 4.7 out of a possible 5, putting it easily within the outstanding category.

"I continue to be impressed by the laboratory's results-oriented approach," said Keith Klein, manager of DOE's Richland operations office.

DOE also was impressed with the increasing amount of work PNNL did to support environmental protection and waste cleanup at Hanford.

"That's something we are really looking for," said Julie Erickson, acting assistant manager for science and technology for DOE's Richland office. "With a premier national lab right here, it would be a shame if it was not doing work for Hanford."

A year ago, DOE praised PNNL for putting 13 new environmental technologies into use, but officials were concerned that none were used at Hanford.

In the current evaluation, DOE found PNNL had five of 11 new technologies deployed at Hanford.

"This was a very notable achievement," according to the written evaluation. Among the technologies was a process called in situ redox manipulation, which is being tested to see if it can neutralize chromium-laden water seeping toward the Columbia River by pumping chemicals into the underground aquifer.

Research at PNNL in 1999 also led to a better scientific understanding of the vadose zone at Hanford - the earth above the groundwater - and helped DOE with radioactive tank waste at Hanford and other DOE sites. That included looking at ways to retrieve sludge that can't be pumped and to prevent lines from plugging.

"I think the most important thing we've done here is good partnership with Richland Operations in getting clarity (on goals)," Stokes said. "This allows us to focus on what's important."

DOE also was concerned PNNL researchers published only 454 articles when it reviewed the lab a year ago, in part because work was interrupted as researchers got settled in the new Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, or EMSL, at PNNL.

"We came back very strong," Stokes said. "We blew the top off our scale."

PNNL set a goal of 535 papers in peer reviewed publications for 1999, a 5 percent increase over an average year. Researchers beat that goal handily with 606 papers published.

"It shows our publishing rate really is continuing to grow," Stokes said.

Since scientific success is difficult to measure numerically, DOE looks at such indicators of peer respect, Erickson said.

Scientific awards are another indicator of peer respect, she said. And PNNL had a strong year there. It won six R&D Magazine 100 awards, two technology transfer awards from the Federal Laboratory Consortium, the World Climate Technology Leadership Award and DOE's Energy Research Young Scientist Award.

Stokes said the increased use of EMSL also helped PNNL's score. It's called a "user facility" because much of the equipment and resources there are used by researchers from universities and other national laboratories that need specialized equipment or expertise for particular projects. Use in 1999 increased by more than a third.

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program, another user facility, also had a strong publication record in 1999, he said.

In other areas, PNNL earned scores of 4.5 to a perfect 5:

- PNNL rated 5 in community relations, which made up 5 percent of the overall score.

DOE liked the lab's new volunteerism program, Team Battelle, which engages hundreds of staffers in community programs. DOE also noted the lab's continued support in launching or expanding new technology-based businesses and its work to promote science and math education.

- The lab scored 4.5 in leadership and management, the basis of 20 percent of the overall score.

In his letter to Battelle, which operates the lab, Klein reiterated the need for Battelle to name a new director of the lab soon. Battelle has been searching for a director since Bill Madia was promoted in January.

The evaluation also criticized PNNL for having too few researchers compared to support staff for the second year in a row. Stokes said the target is 2.5 researchers per support staff. Now the lab is at 2.3 researchers per support staff.

- The lab also scored 4.5 in operational excellence, which was weighted for 20 percent of the final score.

"Overall, the contractor continues to provide for the safety of the worker, public and environment in an outstanding manner," according to the evaluation. It has made improvements in most areas but had 12 incidents in which skin or clothing was contaminated with small amounts of radiation. None of the incidents was serious enough to affect workers health, PNNL officials said.