Property and Facilities at Grand Junction
At the end of the Cold War, the Department of Energy (DOE) reevaluated and restructured its Nuclear Weapons
Complex. These activities ultimately resulted in downsizing a number of sites within the Complex. Although not a
nuclear weapons site, Grand Junction became a candidate for downsizing because its missions--environmental
restoration and waste management activities--were nearing completion. Its continuing missions, which include the
long-term surveillance and monitoring of remediated sites, will not require that Grand Junction use all its property
and facilities. Because Albuquerque Operations Office (AL) officials have a continuing responsibility over the site,
this audit was conducted to determine whether these officials were making premature decisions regarding the reuse
of property and facilities at the Grand Junction site.t
Complex. These activities ultimately resulted in downsizing a number of sites within the Complex. Although not a
nuclear weapons site, Grand Junction became a candidate for downsizing because its missions--environmental
restoration and waste management activities--were nearing completion. Its continuing missions, which include the
long-term surveillance and monitoring of remediated sites, will not require that Grand Junction use all its property
and facilities. Because Albuquerque Operations Office (AL) officials have a continuing responsibility over the site,
this audit was conducted to determine whether these officials were making premature decisions regarding the reuse
of property and facilities at the Grand Junction site.t
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Domestic Partner Travel
Inspection of Selected issues of the Chem-Bio facility at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Department is seeking to increase its role in the
development of new technologies to detect and counter attacks
utilizing weapons of mass destruction. Such attacks include
chemical and biological agents and nuclear devices. Currently,
DOE is involved with this technology development for domestic
counter-terrorism purposes, and is also working to assist the
military with its preparation for weapons of mass destruction
attacks through work-for-others programs.
In December 1996, the Department’s Oak Ridge Operations
Office (ORO) entered into a $32 million, four year work-forothers
(WFO) interagency agreement with the Department of the
Army (Army) to develop the Block II Chemical Biological Mass
Spectrometer (CBMS). The purpose of the agreement was for
Lockheed Martin Energy Research, Inc. (LMER), the major
operating contractor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL),
to design, build and demonstrate nine CBMS instruments with
the ability to rapidly detect and identify biological and chemical
warfare agents in a battlefield environment. Chemical warfare
agents to be detected and identified include nerve and mustard
gases; biological agents such as Botulinum toxin, ricin,
aflatoxins and an encephalitis virusis
development of new technologies to detect and counter attacks
utilizing weapons of mass destruction. Such attacks include
chemical and biological agents and nuclear devices. Currently,
DOE is involved with this technology development for domestic
counter-terrorism purposes, and is also working to assist the
military with its preparation for weapons of mass destruction
attacks through work-for-others programs.
In December 1996, the Department’s Oak Ridge Operations
Office (ORO) entered into a $32 million, four year work-forothers
(WFO) interagency agreement with the Department of the
Army (Army) to develop the Block II Chemical Biological Mass
Spectrometer (CBMS). The purpose of the agreement was for
Lockheed Martin Energy Research, Inc. (LMER), the major
operating contractor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL),
to design, build and demonstrate nine CBMS instruments with
the ability to rapidly detect and identify biological and chemical
warfare agents in a battlefield environment. Chemical warfare
agents to be detected and identified include nerve and mustard
gases; biological agents such as Botulinum toxin, ricin,
aflatoxins and an encephalitis virusis
Analytical Laboratory Capabilities at the Hanford Site
The Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations Office (Richland) was responsible for environmental
restoration and waste management programs at the Hanford Site (Site). In support of these activities Site
contractors used both on- and off-site analytical laboratory services. The objective of this audit was to determine
if Richland had made the best use of the capabilities of the on-site analytical laboratories.
restoration and waste management programs at the Hanford Site (Site). In support of these activities Site
contractors used both on- and off-site analytical laboratory services. The objective of this audit was to determine
if Richland had made the best use of the capabilities of the on-site analytical laboratories.
Inspection of Issues Associated With the Department of Energy’s Tritium Source Selection Process
The Office of Inspector General received a letter dated August 31, 1998 from Senator
Strom Thurmond concerning the selection of the tritium production source. The letter
stated that information had been received which suggested that certain senior level
Department officials may have engaged in a systematic effort to undermine the validity
of the Accelerator for the Production of Tritium (APT) option, and that the then Deputy
Secretary of Energy directed subordinates to fire an official in the Office of Defense
Programs because this official had raised concerns about the cost evaluations of
the two tracks, the APT and the Commercial Light Water Reactor (CLWR) option.actors.
Strom Thurmond concerning the selection of the tritium production source. The letter
stated that information had been received which suggested that certain senior level
Department officials may have engaged in a systematic effort to undermine the validity
of the Accelerator for the Production of Tritium (APT) option, and that the then Deputy
Secretary of Energy directed subordinates to fire an official in the Office of Defense
Programs because this official had raised concerns about the cost evaluations of
the two tracks, the APT and the Commercial Light Water Reactor (CLWR) option.actors.
Waste Incineration at the Savannah River Site