The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) maintains an internal “Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List,” known as the “Sensitive Countries List” or “SCL.” This list is DOE developed, maintained, and utilized in support of DOE policies and procedures guiding Departmental interactions with foreign nationals. The SCL is primarily used to identify when additional DOE internal reviews and approvals are required for foreign national access to DOE sites, information, or technologies. The SCL is also utilized in conjunction with DOE policies for review and approval of official foreign travel and to guide DOE personnel on reporting requirements for unofficial foreign travel. The SCL applies a graded approach for required reviews and approvals for the countries listed. The “Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List” is only utilized internally by DOE and is not released outside of U.S. Government channels.
The SCL does not:
- Prohibit international scientific or technical cooperation;
- Hinder or negate any other international or scientific engagements;
- Prohibit DOE personnel from visiting or interacting with listed countries;
- Prevent listed country foreign nationals from visiting DOE sites; or
- Have applicability to broader foreign interactions by the American public or American businesses.