Nuclear Waste: Greater Use of Removal Actions Could Cut Time and Cost for Cleanups
RCED-96-124
Published: May 23, 1996. Publicly Released: Jun 04, 1996.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) use of removal actions to reduce the cost and accelerate the pace of environmental restoration projects.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
---|---|---|
Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should direct the managers of DOE facilities, working with their regulators, to reevaluate their environmental restoration strategies to ensure the maximum possible use of removal actions. Where appropriate, this action may include systematically evaluating each waste site where actual cleanup has not yet begun, including those sites where a lengthier assessment process is under way, to identify the sites where using a removal action would be feasible and cost-effective. |
Closed – Implemented
Through the development of its 10-year plan, known as "Paths to Closure", DOE reevaluated its environmental restoration approach and shifted to strategies, such as removal actions, that will get most of the Department's sites cleaned up in 10 years and at a lower cost.
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Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should direct the managers of DOE facilities, working with their regulators, to reevaluate their environmental restoration strategies to ensure the maximum possible use of removal actions. Where appropriate, this action may include seeking agreement to eliminate requirements in existing interagency agreements that favor lengthier review and assessment processes in exchange for a commitment to achieving significant cleanup progress through removal actions. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE developed a peer review process that works with DOE site officials and their regulators, who control the interagency agreements, to identify and implement expedited clean-up strategies, such as removal actions. This process has resulted in increased use of removal actions at such sites as Oak Ridge and Mound.
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Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should direct the managers of DOE facilities, working with their regulators, to reevaluate their environmental restoration strategies to ensure the maximum possible use of removal actions. Where appropriate, this action may include identifying and implementing incentives for DOE contractors that would increase the emphasis on, and the reward for, pursuing removal actions where appropriate. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE has tried to include performance-based incentives covering removal actions in its contracts with its management and operations (M&O) contractors. DOE officials said that these incentives have been only partially successful, not because of problems with using removal actions, but because DOE's overall experience with performance-based contracting has not been successful. However, they expect to try to use the process more in the future.
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