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Open Recommendations

National Weather Service: Additional Actions Needed to Improve the Agency's Reform Efforts
GAO-21-103792
Oct 12, 2021
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Weather Service The Director of NWS should ensure that as NWS continues its efforts to develop performance measures for the Evolve Program's reform efforts, it incorporates GAO's key attributes of successful performance measures to the extent appropriate for the program. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Weather Service The Director of NWS should ensure that the final communications strategy developed by the Evolve Program is a two-way communications strategy that outlines how NWS will listen and respond to employee concerns about the agency's reform efforts, including NBM. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Weather Service The Director of NWS should revise NWS's approach to staffing the Evolve PMO to improve leadership continuity, staff continuity, and the sufficiency of staff resources to effectively implement the Evolve Program's reform efforts. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel: Congressional Action Needed to Break Impasse and Develop a Permanent Disposal Solution
GAO-21-603
Sep 23, 2021
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider amending the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to authorize a new consent-based process for siting, developing, and constructing consolidated interim storage and permanent repository facilities for commercial spent nuclear fuel. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
As of October 2021, Congress has not acted on this matter.
Congress Congress should consider creating a mechanism, such as an independent board, to provide political insulation and continuity of leadership for managing the spent nuclear fuel disposal program. (Matter for Consideration 2)
Open
As of October 2021, Congress has not acted on this matter.
Congress Congress should consider restructuring the Nuclear Waste Fund so funds used to develop, construct, and operate a permanent repository are based on the commercial spent nuclear fuel program's life cycle costs. (Matter for Consideration 3)
Open
As of October 2021, Congress has not acted on this matter.
Congress Congress should consider directing DOE to develop and implement an integrated waste management strategy, consistent with any amendments to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, that includes plans for the transportation, interim storage, and permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel. (Matter for Consideration 4)
Open
As of October 2021, Congress has not acted on this matter.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should direct the Office of Nuclear Energy to continue its efforts to engage the public and finalize its draft consent-based siting process. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of Energy (DOE) agreed with our recommendation and stated that it is resuming consent-based siting activities and plans to update the process in early 2022. As of October 2021, DOE has not completed these actions.

Climate Resilience: Options to Enhance the Resilience of Federally Funded Roads and Reduce Fiscal Exposure
GAO-21-436
Sep 22, 2021
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress As Congress considers reauthorizing legislation for the federal-aid highway program, it should consider providing direction or authority to the Federal Highway Administration to implement one or more of the options to enhance the climate resilience of federally funded roads identified in this report. ( Matter 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Transportation The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation should consider how the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) plans to implement options to enhance the climate resilience of federally funded roads, such as the options identified in this report, when prioritizing actions on climate change in policy-making, as called for in Executive Order 14008. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Real Property Asset Management: Additional Direction in Government-Wide Guidance Could Enhance Natural Disaster Resilience
GAO-21-596
Sep 14, 2021
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of Management and Budget The Acting Director of OMB should direct agencies to incorporate, as applicable, their assessments of natural disaster risk information, such as from vulnerability assessment and other risk assessments, into asset management investment decisions. Such direction could include, for example, updating existing guidance on capital planning. (Recommendation 1).
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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