The Department of Energy's K-25 Building Decontamination and Decommissioning Project
The East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), formerly the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant,
began operation during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. As the Department of
Energy's missions changed, operations at the Plant ceased and the Department began a massive
environmental remediation effort with completion anticipated in 2016. In 2001, the Department
estimated that it would decontaminate and decommission (D&D) – a process which readies a
building for demolition – both the K-25 building and its sister facility, the K-27 building, at a
cost of $460 million. In 2002, the Department developed a plan to accelerate closure of ETTP,
including a revised end date of 2008. The Department emphasized that risk reduction was a key
factor for accelerating closure, noting that the K-25 and K-27 buildings posed some of the most
serious environmental and safety risks at the site.
began operation during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. As the Department of
Energy's missions changed, operations at the Plant ceased and the Department began a massive
environmental remediation effort with completion anticipated in 2016. In 2001, the Department
estimated that it would decontaminate and decommission (D&D) – a process which readies a
building for demolition – both the K-25 building and its sister facility, the K-27 building, at a
cost of $460 million. In 2002, the Department developed a plan to accelerate closure of ETTP,
including a revised end date of 2008. The Department emphasized that risk reduction was a key
factor for accelerating closure, noting that the K-25 and K-27 buildings posed some of the most
serious environmental and safety risks at the site.
Implementation of Nuclear Weapons Quality Assurance Requirements at Los Alamos National Laboratory
The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos) is a multidisciplinary research and production institution responsible for the design and production of nuclear weapons components. In its effort to attain the highest quality in weapons engineering design and manufacturing, the Department of Energy (Department) established the DOE/NNSA Weapon Quality Policy (QC-1). This policy requires NNSA and its contractors to establish processes to detect and prevent quality problems. This policy also requires that items, services and processes that do not meet established requirements be identified, controlled and corrected. To that end, NNSA and Los Alamos conduct surveys to help ensure that problems are identified and corrected.
Performance of Recovery Act Funds at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
The Department of Energy's (Department) Carlsbad Field Office (Carlsbad) manages the
transuranic (TRU) waste activities of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the
National TRU Program. The WIPP, located outside Carlsbad, New Mexico, is the final
repository for contact-handled and remote-handled TRU waste, and manages the final
disposal of waste received from the Department's waste generator sites. The National
TRU program manages both characterization and certification through mobile
characterization units and contracts for transportation of TRU waste. Baseline funding
for these activities was $230 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) increased Carlsbad funding by $172.4
million to accelerate the Department's TRU waste disposal goals.
transuranic (TRU) waste activities of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the
National TRU Program. The WIPP, located outside Carlsbad, New Mexico, is the final
repository for contact-handled and remote-handled TRU waste, and manages the final
disposal of waste received from the Department's waste generator sites. The National
TRU program manages both characterization and certification through mobile
characterization units and contracts for transportation of TRU waste. Baseline funding
for these activities was $230 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) increased Carlsbad funding by $172.4
million to accelerate the Department's TRU waste disposal goals.
Inspection Report: IG-0852
The collection, retention and dissemination of intelligence data involving U.S. Persons is
generally governed by Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 12333, United States Intelligence
Activities, July 2008, as amended. U.S. Persons include United States citizens, aliens known to
be permanent resident aliens, or companies incorporated in the United States. The E.O., which
emphasizes protecting the legal rights of all U.S. Persons, authorizes Federal entities to collect
information to protect the Nation against threats of espionage, terrorism and the use of weapons
of mass destruction.
Within the Department of Energy, the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (CI) is
responsible for collecting, reviewing, analyzing, investigating and acting on concerns ranging
from foreign intelligence to potential and actual terrorist activities. As part of its process, CI
established what it termed "SPOT Reports" as an urgent communications system to capture
intelligence data of national-level significance (emphasis supplied). The stated purpose was to:
(1) improve the sharing of such information; and, (2) enhance incident awareness. The
Department's procedures regarding treatment of information it collects on U.S. Persons require
that unless a foreign nexus can be established, such information is not to be retained beyond
established timeframes.
The Office of Inspector General received an allegation that the rights of U.S. Persons had been
violated during the course of current Department intelligence gathering efforts. In response, we
initiated a review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegation.
generally governed by Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 12333, United States Intelligence
Activities, July 2008, as amended. U.S. Persons include United States citizens, aliens known to
be permanent resident aliens, or companies incorporated in the United States. The E.O., which
emphasizes protecting the legal rights of all U.S. Persons, authorizes Federal entities to collect
information to protect the Nation against threats of espionage, terrorism and the use of weapons
of mass destruction.
Within the Department of Energy, the Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (CI) is
responsible for collecting, reviewing, analyzing, investigating and acting on concerns ranging
from foreign intelligence to potential and actual terrorist activities. As part of its process, CI
established what it termed "SPOT Reports" as an urgent communications system to capture
intelligence data of national-level significance (emphasis supplied). The stated purpose was to:
(1) improve the sharing of such information; and, (2) enhance incident awareness. The
Department's procedures regarding treatment of information it collects on U.S. Persons require
that unless a foreign nexus can be established, such information is not to be retained beyond
established timeframes.
The Office of Inspector General received an allegation that the rights of U.S. Persons had been
violated during the course of current Department intelligence gathering efforts. In response, we
initiated a review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegation.
During this reporting period, the Office of Inspector General continued to
advise Headquarters and field managers of opportunities to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the Department's management controls, with
particular emphasis on coverage of issues addressed in the Department's
Strategic Plan. We also have supported the Department's reinvention and
streamlining initiatives by evaluating the cost effectiveness and overall efficiency
of Department programs and operations, placing special emphasis on key issue
areas which have historically benefited from Office of Inspector General
attention. In addition, we have concentrated on reviewing performance-based
contracts and cost reduction incentive programs. We view these efforts as
assisting the Department in implementing the Government Performance and
Results Act which requires the Department to establish strategic planning and
performance measurement. During this reporting period, we have issued a
number of reports in which we discussed planning and performance
measurement and have other audits or reviews in process or planned for the
next fiscal year that will focus on these areas.t
advise Headquarters and field managers of opportunities to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the Department's management controls, with
particular emphasis on coverage of issues addressed in the Department's
Strategic Plan. We also have supported the Department's reinvention and
streamlining initiatives by evaluating the cost effectiveness and overall efficiency
of Department programs and operations, placing special emphasis on key issue
areas which have historically benefited from Office of Inspector General
attention. In addition, we have concentrated on reviewing performance-based
contracts and cost reduction incentive programs. We view these efforts as
assisting the Department in implementing the Government Performance and
Results Act which requires the Department to establish strategic planning and
performance measurement. During this reporting period, we have issued a
number of reports in which we discussed planning and performance
measurement and have other audits or reviews in process or planned for the
next fiscal year that will focus on these areas.t
The primary objective of the Office of Inspector General's oversight strategy involves the implementation of a review, evaluation, and investigation protocol designed to assist the Department of Energy in: (1) maximizing the performance and effectivene...