Loan Guarantees for Innovative Energy Technologies
itle XVlI of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the Departinent of Energy to
provide loan guarantees for projects that "avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or
;~~lthropogeneitl.n issions o l g recnlluuse gases and ei~lploy~ I SW0 1- significai~ilji l~i p r o~c d
energy production techilologies as compared to coininercial technologies in service in the
Uilitcd States." Cui-rei~tlyt,h e Department has $4 billion in loan guarantee authority and
has requested $9 billion in Fiscal Year 2008. Although the Department is proposing that
sponsors receiving guarantees under the program make a significant equity ii~vestmenitn
the project, under the Act, the Departineilt may guarantee up to 80 percent of total project
costs. This will result i11 significant risk to tlie Governinent and, therefore, the American
taxpayer.
provide loan guarantees for projects that "avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or
;~~lthropogeneitl.n issions o l g recnlluuse gases and ei~lploy~ I SW0 1- significai~ilji l~i p r o~c d
energy production techilologies as compared to coininercial technologies in service in the
Uilitcd States." Cui-rei~tlyt,h e Department has $4 billion in loan guarantee authority and
has requested $9 billion in Fiscal Year 2008. Although the Department is proposing that
sponsors receiving guarantees under the program make a significant equity ii~vestmenitn
the project, under the Act, the Departineilt may guarantee up to 80 percent of total project
costs. This will result i11 significant risk to tlie Governinent and, therefore, the American
taxpayer.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Cyber Security Program-2007
The Department's Unclassified Cyber Security Program - 2007
The Department of Energy expects to spend about $300 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007
to protect its investment in information technology resources. These protective act~vities
are critical to ensuring that systenis and data remain secure and available, especially in
light of the increasingly sophisticated probes and attacks on Departmental infonnation
technology resources. Experts note that successful attacks on Federal systems have
emboldened hackers and that attempts to penetrate agency systems will continue to grow.
As such, Department management has recognized the need for and has budgeted for a
strong and effective cyber security program. Such a program is essential to minimizing
adverse impacts on the Department's operations and preventing the unauthorized
exfiltration of sensitive, privacy, or ~nission-relatedd ata.
to protect its investment in information technology resources. These protective act~vities
are critical to ensuring that systenis and data remain secure and available, especially in
light of the increasingly sophisticated probes and attacks on Departmental infonnation
technology resources. Experts note that successful attacks on Federal systems have
emboldened hackers and that attempts to penetrate agency systems will continue to grow.
As such, Department management has recognized the need for and has budgeted for a
strong and effective cyber security program. Such a program is essential to minimizing
adverse impacts on the Department's operations and preventing the unauthorized
exfiltration of sensitive, privacy, or ~nission-relatedd ata.
Management Controls over the Hanford Environmental Information System
The Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS) database is the official
repository of data from soil, biota, atmospheric, miscellaneous material, surface water
and groundwater samples at the Hanford Site. The HEIS is required by the Tri-Party
Agreement, which is a legally binding agreement among the Department of Energy
(Department), Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). The majority of the data in HEIS is associated with samples
collected in support of the cleanup requirements, groundwater monitoring, environmental
impact statements, waste site remediation and characterization, and biological/ecologica1
monitoring. In particular, data contained in HEIS is obtained from samples taken to
characterize the level of contamination at a site before and during cleanup, as well as
san~plesta ken to monitor the site at the completion of cleanup.
As the official repository for environmental samples at the Hanford Site, it is important that HEIS contain complete data, especially regarding the number and locations sample results in terms of detected contamination levels. Sample data
contained in HEIS is used to assist in making cleanup decisions. Given its importance to Hanford's cleanup effort, the objective of this audit was to
determine whether HEIS contains complete environmental sampling data.
repository of data from soil, biota, atmospheric, miscellaneous material, surface water
and groundwater samples at the Hanford Site. The HEIS is required by the Tri-Party
Agreement, which is a legally binding agreement among the Department of Energy
(Department), Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). The majority of the data in HEIS is associated with samples
collected in support of the cleanup requirements, groundwater monitoring, environmental
impact statements, waste site remediation and characterization, and biological/ecologica1
monitoring. In particular, data contained in HEIS is obtained from samples taken to
characterize the level of contamination at a site before and during cleanup, as well as
san~plesta ken to monitor the site at the completion of cleanup.
As the official repository for environmental samples at the Hanford Site, it is important that HEIS contain complete data, especially regarding the number and locations sample results in terms of detected contamination levels. Sample data
contained in HEIS is used to assist in making cleanup decisions. Given its importance to Hanford's cleanup effort, the objective of this audit was to
determine whether HEIS contains complete environmental sampling data.
Use of External Independent Reviews at Environmental Management Sites
National Nuclear Security Administration's Construction of aRadiological/Nuclear Complex for Homeland Security
NNSA's Nevada Site Office (Nevada) did not effectively manage
the Rad/Nuc CTEC project to ensure that it would be completed on schedule and within cost limitations. Specifically, Nevada did not follow project management requirements and did not adequately administer the Bechtel contract.
the Rad/Nuc CTEC project to ensure that it would be completed on schedule and within cost limitations. Specifically, Nevada did not follow project management requirements and did not adequately administer the Bechtel contract.