Back to OurEnergyLibrary search




Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE’s Disposition Planning Efforts

Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE’s Disposition Planning Efforts

Full Title: Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE's Disposition Planning Efforts
Author(s): U.S. Government Accountability Office
Publisher(s): U.S. Government Accountability Office
Publication Date: September 15, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):

Effective management of DOE’s contaminated excess facilities could reduce the U.S. government’s
environmental liability, which is on GAO’s High Risk List. Deactivating and decommissioning such facilities is crucial for reducing risks and costs as the condition of facilities worsens over time. Since 2016, DOE has been required by statute to regularly plan for deactivating and decommissioning contaminated excess facilities.

Senate Report 118-58 includes a provision for GAO to evaluate DOE’s efforts to develop a plan for deactivating and decommissioning contaminated excess facilities, which is due March 2025 and every 4 years afterward. GAO examined DOE’s approach to deactivating and decommissioning NNSA’s contaminated excess facilities and the extent to which DOE’s planning efforts addressed statutory requirements and key practices.

GAO analyzed DOE’s fiscal year 2023 data on contaminated excess facilities, assessed DOE’s 2022 deactivation and decommissioning plan, and interviewed NNSA and EM officials, including officials at seven sites with NNSA contaminated excess facilities.

All statements and/or propositions in discussion prompts are meant exclusively to stimulate discussion and do not represent the views of OurEnergyPolicy.org, its Partners, Topic Directors or Experts, nor of any individual or organization. Comments by and opinions of Expert participants are their own.

Sign up for our Press Release Distribution List

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Please sign me up to receive press releases from OurEnergyPolicy.org.