Environmental and Legacy Management

The Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) mission is to complete the safe cleanup of environmental legacy waste resulting from decades of nuclear weapons development and nuclear energy research. Since its formation in 1989, the Environmental Management program has tackled one of the largest environmental cleanup efforts in the world — addressing decades of nuclear weapons production and government-sponsored nuclear energy research in the United States. DOE established the Office of Legacy Management on Dec. 15, 2003, to fulfill the department’s post-closure responsibilities by providing long-term surveillance and maintenance, records management, benefits continuity, property management, and land use planning. Presently, Legacy Management manages over 100 legacy sites in 29 states and Puerto Rico.

Highlights

Why DOE’s Environmental Legacy Missions are Critically Important

The U.S. Department of Energy is committed to managing its responsibilities associated with the legacy of World War II and the Cold War. This legacy includes radioactive and chemical waste, environmental contamination, and hazardous material at more than 100 sites across the country. 

The atomic legacy of these nuclear programs resulted in trillions of liters of contaminated groundwater; millions of cubic meters of soil and debris contaminated with radionuclides, metals and organics; 90 million gallons of radioactive liquid waste; 700,000 metric tons of depleted uranium; more than 5,000 contaminated facilities; billions of gallons of contaminated groundwater; and 2,450 metric tons of heavy metal of spent nuclear fuel. The Department has taken major steps toward fulfilling our commitments to clean up this environmental legacy and manage post-closure responsibilities.  

Environmental Management and Legacy Management are responsible for cleaning up, monitoring safety, and maintaining records at these sites. 

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