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Open Recommendations (154 total)

Hanford Cleanup: Alternatives for Treating and Disposing of High-Level Waste Could Save Billions of Dollars and Reduce Certain Risks

GAO-24-106989
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure the Senior Advisor for Environmental Management pauses engineering design, reconfiguration, and construction activities on the HLW Facility at Hanford until DOE (1) defines a mission need for the HLW project that is independent of a particular facility, technological solution, or physical end-item; (2) considers the results of an independent analysis of opportunities to optimize the portion of Hanford's HLW that should be managed, treated, and disposed as high-level radioactive waste; and (3) addresses technical issues with the HLW Facility identified by DNFSB. (Recommendation 3)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Hanford Cleanup: Alternatives for Treating and Disposing of High-Level Waste Could Save Billions of Dollars and Reduce Certain Risks

GAO-24-106989
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Senior Advisor for Environmental Management targets research and development projects for addressing Hanford's HLW toward known approaches that have the potential to reduce risks, schedule, and costs, such as the approaches identified by experts in this report and those in the 2022 Research and Development Roadmap for Hanford Tank Waste Mission Acceleration. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Senior Advisor for Environmental Management has an independent analysis performed, such as by a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, on opportunities to optimize, in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment, the portion of Hanford's high-level waste that should be managed, treated, and disposed of as high-level radioactive waste based on the physical characteristics of the waste. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE's Disposition Planning Efforts

GAO-24-107173
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for EM should ensure that DOE's 2025 disposition planning efforts for contaminated excess facility assess the environment by defining strategies to address or mitigate barriers affecting DOE's ability to achieve its goals, such as by including strategies to address the potential effects of budgetary constraints. (Recommendation 4)
Open
DOE concurred with this recommendation. In its September 2024 response letter, DOE stated that it will identify the strategies to address or mitigate any barriers to achieving the goals established as part of its 2025 disposition planning efforts. DOE will consider non-financial barriers such as mission demand, workforce, and regulatory requirements. DOE stated that funding priorities will be considered during the budget request process. DOE estimated completing this action by September 2025.

Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE's Disposition Planning Efforts

GAO-24-107173
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for EM should ensure that DOE's 2025 disposition planning efforts for contaminated excess facilities define goals for each activity, such as by including measurable outcomes for the near and long term. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DOE concurred with this recommendation. In its September 2024 response letter, DOE stated that it will define near- and long-term goals as part of its 2025 disposition planning efforts. For example, DOE stated that outcomes for near-term goals will be for a 5-year timeframe and include areas such as accelerating cleanup of contaminated excess facilities. DOE estimated completing this action by June 2025.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for EM should ensure that DOE's 2025 disposition planning efforts for contaminated excess facilities identify the strategies and resources needed to achieve defined goals, such as by including the resources needed to meet each of the stated goals. (Recommendation 3)
Open
DOE concurred with this recommendation. In its September 2024 response letter, DOE stated that it will identify the strategies and resources needed to achieve the goals established as part of its 2025 disposition planning efforts. DOE estimated completing this action by September 2025.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for EM should ensure that DOE's 2025 plan for deactivation and decommissioning of contaminated excess facilities addresses all statutorily required elements, such as by including a list of facilities prioritized based on the potential to reduce risks to human health, property, or the environment and maximize cost savings and by including a schedule for when EM will accept facilities for deactivation and decommissioning. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DOE concurred with this recommendation. In its September 2024 response letter, DOE stated that the 2025 plan for deactivation and decommissioning will address all statutorily required elements. For example, the 2025 plan will include a list of facilities prioritized on the basis of risk and potential cost savings, as appropriate, and a notional schedule of when EM may accept facilities for deactivation and decommissioning. DOE estimated completing this action by June 2025.

Oak Ridge Mercury Cleanup: Opportunities Exist to Enhance Risk Management and Technology Development

GAO-24-107096
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that OREM elevates risk management to a programmatic level from a project level for mercury cleanup to enhance the understanding of comprehensive risk impacts and interdependencies. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that OREM assesses the mercury technology development program's progress in meeting the intended goals of reducing the cost, risk, and schedule of mercury cleanup, while improving worker safety. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Oak Ridge Mercury Cleanup: Opportunities Exist to Enhance Risk Management and Technology Development

GAO-24-107096
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that OREM documents the risk mitigation strategies it has identified and develops a mechanism to track their implementation. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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