The Department constructed the Consolidated Incinerator Facility (CIF) at the Savannah River Site (Site) to
reduce the toxicity, mobility, and volume of waste products generated at the Site. The facility was built at a
cost of $102 million, and became operational in April 1997. Westinghouse Savannah River Company
(Westinghouse) operates the facility for the Department at an average annual cost of $19 million. The
objective of this audit was to determine whether Westinghouse was operating the CIF at the capacity
permitted by the State of South Carolina.
reduce the toxicity, mobility, and volume of waste products generated at the Site. The facility was built at a
cost of $102 million, and became operational in April 1997. Westinghouse Savannah River Company
(Westinghouse) operates the facility for the Department at an average annual cost of $19 million. The
objective of this audit was to determine whether Westinghouse was operating the CIF at the capacity
permitted by the State of South Carolina.
Management of Unneeded Materials and Chemicals
Inspector General Semiannual Report to Congress, April 1 - September 30, 1999
I am pleased to submit the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Semiannual Report to Congress. The report
summarizes significant OIG activities and accomplishments during the 6-month period ending September 30,
1999. The Inspector General Act, as amended, requires you to forward the report to the appropriate
congressional oversight committees within 30 days of your receipt of this report.
The mission of the OIG is to assist Department managers by identifying opportunities to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of Department programs and operations. With this goal in mind, the OIG issued reports on
nearly 50 inquiries conducted during this reporting period. These included reviews, made at your request, of
various aspects of the Department’s security affairs program. In addition, in responding to a request from the
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, this office, along with the Inspectors General at
the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, Treasury, and the Central Intelligence Agency evaluated the
licensing process for the export of dual-use and munitions items. We participated in two hearings on this
matter.
summarizes significant OIG activities and accomplishments during the 6-month period ending September 30,
1999. The Inspector General Act, as amended, requires you to forward the report to the appropriate
congressional oversight committees within 30 days of your receipt of this report.
The mission of the OIG is to assist Department managers by identifying opportunities to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of Department programs and operations. With this goal in mind, the OIG issued reports on
nearly 50 inquiries conducted during this reporting period. These included reviews, made at your request, of
various aspects of the Department’s security affairs program. In addition, in responding to a request from the
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, this office, along with the Inspectors General at
the Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, Treasury, and the Central Intelligence Agency evaluated the
licensing process for the export of dual-use and munitions items. We participated in two hearings on this
matter.
Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting Program
Since 1994, the Department of Energy (Department) and its national laboratories have worked in the
successor states of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) to improve nuclear material security and accountability. The
goal of the Department's Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) program is to reduce
the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism by rapidly upgrading physical protection and material control
and accounting systems at FSU facilities using modern technology and strict material control and accounting
principles. The Department is attempting to achieve this goal by providing assistance in the form of expertise, funds,
and equipment to facilities in the FSU that store, process, and/or transport plutonium or highly enriched uranium.
The Department has accomplished much towards achieving its goal of reducing the threat of nuclear
proliferation and nuclear terrorism. It made significant progress in expanding the number of FSU sites
participating in the program, from only 9 sites in Fiscal Year 1994 to 53 in Fiscal Year 1998. In addition,
U.S. MPC&A project teams developed productive working relationships with FSU personnel and installed sitewide
MPC&A systems, which reduced the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism at
numerous FSU sites.
The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department ensured that funds and equipment provided to the
FSU under the MPC&A program were accounted for and used for their intended purposes.
successor states of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) to improve nuclear material security and accountability. The
goal of the Department's Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) program is to reduce
the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism by rapidly upgrading physical protection and material control
and accounting systems at FSU facilities using modern technology and strict material control and accounting
principles. The Department is attempting to achieve this goal by providing assistance in the form of expertise, funds,
and equipment to facilities in the FSU that store, process, and/or transport plutonium or highly enriched uranium.
The Department has accomplished much towards achieving its goal of reducing the threat of nuclear
proliferation and nuclear terrorism. It made significant progress in expanding the number of FSU sites
participating in the program, from only 9 sites in Fiscal Year 1994 to 53 in Fiscal Year 1998. In addition,
U.S. MPC&A project teams developed productive working relationships with FSU personnel and installed sitewide
MPC&A systems, which reduced the threat of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism at
numerous FSU sites.
The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department ensured that funds and equipment provided to the
FSU under the MPC&A program were accounted for and used for their intended purposes.
Planned Waste Shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which received its first shipment of waste in March 1999, was designed and constructed to safely dispose of transuranic (TRU) waste located at generator sites throughout the Department of Energy's weapons complex. The Carlsbad Area Office (Carlsbad) was established to operate WIPP and manage the Nation's TRU waste disposal efforts. To assist the waste disposal efforts, Carlsbad prepared a National TRU Waste Management Plan (Management Plan). The objective of this audit was to determine if the Management Plan was current and consistent with the information provided by the generator sites.
Waste Incineration at the Oak Ridge Reservation
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator is located at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP)
in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It is the only incinerator in the Department of Energy (Department) that is permitted to
treat TSCA-regulated, radioactively contaminated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste. The objective of this
audit was to determine whether the Department operated the TSCA Incinerator at the capacity permitted by the
State of Tennessee.
in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. It is the only incinerator in the Department of Energy (Department) that is permitted to
treat TSCA-regulated, radioactively contaminated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) waste. The objective of this
audit was to determine whether the Department operated the TSCA Incinerator at the capacity permitted by the
State of Tennessee.