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During the course of nuclear weapons production, the Department of Energy (Department) and its predecessor agencies constructed over 20,000 facilities, ranging from temporary trailer-type buildings and office space to state-of-the-art nuclear reactors and laboratories. As the Department's mission has evolved, many of these structures are no longer needed and, as such, have been identified as excess facilities. Currently, the Department has nearly 1,200 excess facilities totaling almost 16 million square feet. Costs associated with these facilities, primarily for surveillance and maintenance, exceed about $70 million annually. Over time, these costs are expected to increase, as will the health and safety risks that these buildings pose to workers and the environment. This audit was conducted to determine whether the Department prioritized facility disposition consistent with its mission needs and to minimize overall costs and risks.

Disposition of the Department's Excess Facilities

Issued to Bechtel Nevada related to Noncompliances with Occupational Radiation Protection and Quality Assurance Requirements at the Nevada Test Site

Transmission System Vegetation Management Program

In 1995, the Office of Inspector General evaluated planned construction projects at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. In our resulting audit report, we questioned a number of the projects because they were not needed to support the Laboratory's mission, or because they were inappropriately sized. At the time, we found that the Department was not consistently verifying the need for projects, nor was it identifying and evaluating alternatives. As a result of the audit, the Department agreed to more aggressively manage construction by canceling unnecessary projects and thoroughly assessing alternatives at the Idaho site.

Idaho Operations Office Planned Construction of a Waste Vitrification Facility

Cooperative Gypsy Moth Project for Illinois 2002

California Department of Food and Agriculture Curly Top Virus Control Program

Proposed Disposition of the Omega West Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico

Proposed Disposition of the Omega West Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico