The Department's Infrastructure Modernization Projects under the Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was enacted on February 17, 2009. The goals of the Recovery Act are to retain or create jobs, increase economic efficiency, and invest in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. The Recovery Act provided just over $36 billion for the Department of Energy (Department), including $198 million to be used by the Office of Science (Science) for infrastructure modernization initiatives. According to Science officials, modernization was needed to many Department laboratories, offices, and other facilities due to their age. Science's Recovery Act Infrastructure Modernization initiatives include:
• Science Laboratories Infrastructure (SLI) projects totaling $108 million to accelerate existing construction projects under Science's Infrastructure Modernization Initiative; and,
• General Plant Projects (GPP) totaling $90 million to improve high-priority facilities, increase economy and efficiency of laboratories, reduce safety hazards, and reduce operating costs at our national laboratories.
We initiated this audit to determine if the Department is efficiently and effectively managing its Recovery Act infrastructure modernization projects.
• Science Laboratories Infrastructure (SLI) projects totaling $108 million to accelerate existing construction projects under Science's Infrastructure Modernization Initiative; and,
• General Plant Projects (GPP) totaling $90 million to improve high-priority facilities, increase economy and efficiency of laboratories, reduce safety hazards, and reduce operating costs at our national laboratories.
We initiated this audit to determine if the Department is efficiently and effectively managing its Recovery Act infrastructure modernization projects.
The Department of Energy's K Basins Sludge Treatment Project at the Hanford Site
In 1999, the Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office (Richland), the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology signed an
agreement for the remediation of two spent nuclear fuel storage basins located in the 100 K-Area
of the Hanford Site. This agreement required the Department to retrieve and package for
disposal over 2,100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel and to remove the estimated 28.5 cubic
meters of radioactive sludge and place it in interim storage pending future treatment. After the
fuel was removed in 2004, the agreement was amended to treat the sludge prior to interim
storage and ship it to a national repository for disposal. The sludge is classified as remotehandled
transuranic waste and will need to be packaged in a configuration that will meet the
acceptance criteria for the Department's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology signed an
agreement for the remediation of two spent nuclear fuel storage basins located in the 100 K-Area
of the Hanford Site. This agreement required the Department to retrieve and package for
disposal over 2,100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel and to remove the estimated 28.5 cubic
meters of radioactive sludge and place it in interim storage pending future treatment. After the
fuel was removed in 2004, the agreement was amended to treat the sludge prior to interim
storage and ship it to a national repository for disposal. The sludge is classified as remotehandled
transuranic waste and will need to be packaged in a configuration that will meet the
acceptance criteria for the Department's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Management of Controlled Substances at Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratory
As part of its national defense mission, the Department of Energy's (Department) Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore) actively engages in scientific, engineering, and
environmental research activities. Livermore is managed and operated under contract by
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration
(NNSA). The Livermore Site Office (Site Office) is responsible for administering the contract.
As part of its biomedical and forensic science mission, Livermore maintains 42 controlled
substances, including drugs such as black tar heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine and steroids.
Livermore's Health Clinic also maintains and dispenses other therapeutic controlled substances.
Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore) actively engages in scientific, engineering, and
environmental research activities. Livermore is managed and operated under contract by
Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration
(NNSA). The Livermore Site Office (Site Office) is responsible for administering the contract.
As part of its biomedical and forensic science mission, Livermore maintains 42 controlled
substances, including drugs such as black tar heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine and steroids.
Livermore's Health Clinic also maintains and dispenses other therapeutic controlled substances.
Management of the Tank Farm Recovery Act Infrastructure Upgrades Project
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) the Department of Energy (Department) awarded Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) approximately $324 million to accelerate completion of infrastructure upgrades for the Hanford Site's tank farms during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-2011 timeframe. These funds were applied by the Department's Office of Environmental Management to the existing contract with WRPS to manage the operations and construction activities necessary to store, retrieve, treat, and dispose of the 53 million gallons of Hanford tank waste.
The Department of Energy's Energy Conservation Effort
The Department of Energy's Energy Conservation Efforts