Audit Report: OAS-O-06-01

November 25, 2005

Management Controls over the Hanford Site Transuranic Mixed Tank Waste

The Office of River Protection (ORP) pursued the Transuranic Mixed Tank (TRUM) Waste Project without sufficiently addressing regulatory and permitting issues. In 2003, ORP initiated efforts through its contractor, CH2M Hill Hanford Group, Inc. (CHG) to proceed with the TRUM waste project. According to its plan, CHG would initiate retrieval of the TRUM waste from the tanks beginning in October 2004, and make its first shipment of the treated waste to Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in June 2005. To accomplish its plan, the Department incentivized CHG with $8 million in incentives. CHG initiated its design efforts on the project and in November 2003, issued an $11 million subcontract to acquire the necessary equipment. However, we found that the Department had not sufficiently addressed regulatory and permitting issues prior to incentivizing the contractor and proceeding with work on the project.