The Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM) manages
approximately 700,000 metric tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride at the gaseous
diffusion plants located near Paducah, Kentucky. and Portsmouth, Ohio. It plans to
convert the depleted uranium hexafluoride to a stable material. The conversion process
will produce approximately 55 1,000 metric tons of depleted uranium oxide - a relatively
stable form that can be handled and disposed of by direct burial or, potentially, used in
various materials or products. Over a period of about 13 years, the Department has
conducted research which established that the oxide could possibly be used in catalysts,
semiconductors, nuclear repository applications and radiation shielding products.
approximately 700,000 metric tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride at the gaseous
diffusion plants located near Paducah, Kentucky. and Portsmouth, Ohio. It plans to
convert the depleted uranium hexafluoride to a stable material. The conversion process
will produce approximately 55 1,000 metric tons of depleted uranium oxide - a relatively
stable form that can be handled and disposed of by direct burial or, potentially, used in
various materials or products. Over a period of about 13 years, the Department has
conducted research which established that the oxide could possibly be used in catalysts,
semiconductors, nuclear repository applications and radiation shielding products.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Protective Force Authority
The Department of Energy’s (Department) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(Livermore) is a premier research and development institution supporting the Department’s scientific, engineering, environmental, and national security activities. Livermore is managed and operated under contract by Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS) LLC, for the Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In accordance with the Department’s safeguards and security policy, Livermore maintains a cadre of armed protective force officers to prevent and defend against malevolent acts.
Federal regulations establish protective force arrest authority to enforce specific laws regarding property of the United States in the custody of the Department or its contractors.
Federal regulations and Department policy limit protective force officials’ arrest authority to the performance of official duties related to Department property.
In November 2008, the Office of Inspector General received an allegation that
Livermore’s protective force was acting outside its established authority. Specifically, it was alleged that the protective force violated the law and Livermore policy by responding to a local Livermore Police Department radio call for assistance, which they overheard on their police band radio. Protective force officers already away from the Livermore site responded to a private residence and interacted with the public. It was also alleged that while onsite at Livermore, the protective force violated employees’ privacy rights by
accessing the Department of Motor Vehicles database when conducting vehicle traffic stops for administrative traffic violations. We noted that the protective force was using the California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS) to access the Department of Motor Vehicles database. Information available from CLETS can include vehicle registration information and criminal records, such as outstanding “wants and warrants.” We initiated this inspection to review the facts and circumstances regarding the allegation.
(Livermore) is a premier research and development institution supporting the Department’s scientific, engineering, environmental, and national security activities. Livermore is managed and operated under contract by Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS) LLC, for the Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In accordance with the Department’s safeguards and security policy, Livermore maintains a cadre of armed protective force officers to prevent and defend against malevolent acts.
Federal regulations establish protective force arrest authority to enforce specific laws regarding property of the United States in the custody of the Department or its contractors.
Federal regulations and Department policy limit protective force officials’ arrest authority to the performance of official duties related to Department property.
In November 2008, the Office of Inspector General received an allegation that
Livermore’s protective force was acting outside its established authority. Specifically, it was alleged that the protective force violated the law and Livermore policy by responding to a local Livermore Police Department radio call for assistance, which they overheard on their police band radio. Protective force officers already away from the Livermore site responded to a private residence and interacted with the public. It was also alleged that while onsite at Livermore, the protective force violated employees’ privacy rights by
accessing the Department of Motor Vehicles database when conducting vehicle traffic stops for administrative traffic violations. We noted that the protective force was using the California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS) to access the Department of Motor Vehicles database. Information available from CLETS can include vehicle registration information and criminal records, such as outstanding “wants and warrants.” We initiated this inspection to review the facts and circumstances regarding the allegation.
Department of Energy's Efforts to Meet Accountability and Performance Reporting Objectives of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
The purpose of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
was to jumpstart the U.S. economy, create or save millions of jobs, spur technological
advances in health and science, and invest in the Nation's energy future. The Department
of Energy will receive an unprecedented $38 billion in Recovery Act funding to support a
variety of science, energy, and environmental initiatives. The Recovery Act requires
transparency and accountability over these funds. To this end, the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) issued guidance requiring the Department to compile and report a
wide variety of funding, accounting, and performance information.
The Department plans to leverage existing information systems to develop accounting
and performance information that will be used by program managers and ultimately
reported to Recovery.gov, the government-wide source of Recovery Act information, and
to OMB. The Department's iManage iPortal, a system that aggregates information from a
number of corporate systems, will serve as the main reporting gateway for accounting
information. In addition, the Department plans to implement a methodology or system
that will permit it to monitor information reported directly to OMB by prime funding
recipients. Furthermore, performance measures or metrics that outline expected
outcomes are being developed, with results ultimately to be reported in a recently
developed Department-wide system.
Because of the significance of funds provided and their importance to strengthening the
Nation's economy, we initiated this review to determine whether the Department had
taken the steps necessary to ensure that Recovery Act funds can be appropriately tracked
and are transparent to the public, and whether the benefits of the expenditures can be
properly measured and reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner.
was to jumpstart the U.S. economy, create or save millions of jobs, spur technological
advances in health and science, and invest in the Nation's energy future. The Department
of Energy will receive an unprecedented $38 billion in Recovery Act funding to support a
variety of science, energy, and environmental initiatives. The Recovery Act requires
transparency and accountability over these funds. To this end, the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) issued guidance requiring the Department to compile and report a
wide variety of funding, accounting, and performance information.
The Department plans to leverage existing information systems to develop accounting
and performance information that will be used by program managers and ultimately
reported to Recovery.gov, the government-wide source of Recovery Act information, and
to OMB. The Department's iManage iPortal, a system that aggregates information from a
number of corporate systems, will serve as the main reporting gateway for accounting
information. In addition, the Department plans to implement a methodology or system
that will permit it to monitor information reported directly to OMB by prime funding
recipients. Furthermore, performance measures or metrics that outline expected
outcomes are being developed, with results ultimately to be reported in a recently
developed Department-wide system.
Because of the significance of funds provided and their importance to strengthening the
Nation's economy, we initiated this review to determine whether the Department had
taken the steps necessary to ensure that Recovery Act funds can be appropriately tracked
and are transparent to the public, and whether the benefits of the expenditures can be
properly measured and reported clearly, accurately, and in a timely manner.
Allegations of Improper Hanford Workers’ Compensation Payments (INS-L-09-07, S09IS027)
This is to advise you of the results of an Office of Inspector General inspection concerning
workers’ compensation related allegations at the Hanford site. Specifically, it was alleged
that the Hanford site’s tank farm contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS),
was paying employees on workers’ compensation over 100 percent of their net salaries and
beyond the 180 day limit allowed under the site’s labor agreement. It was also alleged that
the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of River Protection (ORP), WRPS, and the
alternative dispute resolution mediator, the Hanford Concerns Council (HCC), were
negotiating employee settlements outside the statutorily required exclusive remedy of
workers’ compensation. Finally, it was alleged that WRPS knowingly coded employee
timecards incorrectly, suggesting a possible violation of federal statute
workers’ compensation related allegations at the Hanford site. Specifically, it was alleged
that the Hanford site’s tank farm contractor, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS),
was paying employees on workers’ compensation over 100 percent of their net salaries and
beyond the 180 day limit allowed under the site’s labor agreement. It was also alleged that
the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of River Protection (ORP), WRPS, and the
alternative dispute resolution mediator, the Hanford Concerns Council (HCC), were
negotiating employee settlements outside the statutorily required exclusive remedy of
workers’ compensation. Finally, it was alleged that WRPS knowingly coded employee
timecards incorrectly, suggesting a possible violation of federal statute
Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund's Fiscal Year 2006 and 2005 Financial Statement Audit
The attache report presents the results of the independent certified public accountants' audit of the United States Department of Energy's Uranium Enrichment Decontamination Decommissioning Fund's (D&D Fund) Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 and 2005 balance sheets and the related statements of net cost, changes in net position (deficit), budgetary resources and financing.
Follow-up Audit of the Stockpile Surveillance Program