Nuclear Waste:
Issues Affecting Land Withdrawal of DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Project
T-RCED-91-38: Published: Apr 16, 1991. Publicly Released: Apr 16, 1991.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
GAO discussed the Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). GAO noted that: (1) by fiscal year (FY) 1997, DOE plans to determine whether WIPP meets the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) standards for disposal of transuranic waste in repositories and plans to obtain a variance or exception from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); (2) DOE postponed plans to demonstrate large-scale waste handling and storage operations until after it determines that WIPP will comply with EPA standards; (3) DOE issued a test plan that reduced the proposed amount of waste to about 1 percent of facility capacity, but it could not determine the exact quantity of waste to be stored until after the compliance determination; and (4) DOE issued a plan describing the decisionmaking process it would follow in deciding where to store the wastes if retrieval became necessary. GAO believes that: (1) DOE needed to demonstrate to EPA that the hazardous wastes would not migrate beyond the WIPP boundary for as long as they remain hazardous to obtain an RCRA exception; (2) the nature and significance of WIPP storage issues warranted congressional input and direction, rather than administrative action; and (3) DOE should address storage issues now before it needs to retrieve and store it elsewhere.
Mar 1, 2021
-
Man-Made Chemicals and Potential Health Risks:
EPA Has Completed Some Regulatory-Related Actions for PFASGAO-21-37: Published: Jan 27, 2021. Publicly Released: Mar 1, 2021.
Jan 22, 2021
-
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
Information on the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability ProgramGAO-21-240R: Published: Jan 22, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
-
Chemical Assessments:
Annual EPA Survey Inconsistent with Leading Practices in Program ManagementGAO-21-156: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 15, 2021
-
Environmental Liabilities:
NASA's Reported Financial Liabilities Have Grown, and Several Factors Contribute to Future UncertaintiesGAO-21-205: Published: Jan 15, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 15, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
-
Nuclear Waste:
Congressional Action Needed to Clarify a Disposal Option at West Valley Site in New YorkGAO-21-115: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Jan 7, 2021
-
Hanford Cleanup:
DOE's Efforts to Close Tank Farms Would Benefit from Clearer Legal Authorities and CommunicationGAO-21-73: Published: Jan 7, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 7, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
-
Drinking Water:
EPA Could Use Available Data to Better Identify Neighborhoods at Risk of Lead ExposureGAO-21-78: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020. -
Recycling:
Building on Existing Federal Efforts Could Help Address Cross-Cutting ChallengesGAO-21-87: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
-
Environmental Protection:
Action Needed to Ensure EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Activities Support Its Strategic GoalsGAO-21-82: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020. -
Oil and Gas:
Onshore Competitive and Noncompetitive Lease RevenuesGAO-21-138: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here