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Open Recommendations

Department of Energy: Actions Needed to Assess U.S. Manufacturing Policy and Protect Technology from Foreign Acquisition
GAO-24-106504
Jun 24, 2024
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property develop and implement, in coordination with DOE's Office of Technology Transitions and other relevant offices, a strategy or approach for monitoring and assessing the effects of the U.S. Competitiveness Provision pursuant to its 2021 DEC and identify whether it is achieving progress towards planned performance. (Recommendation 1).
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide additional guidance to waiver or modification applicants to help improve transparency on how to demonstrate alternative benefits to the U.S. economy, such as clear examples for approval, as well as communicate expectations for waiver review timelines. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide clarifying information to universities for monitoring compliance with U.S. manufacturing commitments, including guidance on how it interprets "manufactured substantially in the United States." (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property conduct a review of university licensing procedures to ensure that appropriate licensing monitoring and enforcement practices are in place. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide guidance to labs and universities on license provisions and other risk management practices and procedures for monitoring licensee foreign ownership, with consideration of critical and emerging technologies, to encourage consistency across all DOE-funded inventions. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property develop and implement procedures or a DOE order for labs detailing when counterintelligence reviews of potential and existing licensees are indicated. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Decarbonization: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Department of Energy's Management of Risks to Carbon Capture Projects
GAO-24-106489
May 16, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management should take actions to more clearly document project risk treatment strategies consistent with the project management principles identified in its Guide to Financial Assistance. (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 Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management should take steps to ensure that the office adheres to guidance and only selects projects that are deemed to be technically acceptable, as required by its Merit Review Guide for Financial Assistance. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Gas Pipeline Safety: Better Data and Planning Would Improve Implementation of Regulatory Changes
GAO-24-106690
Apr 03, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration The Administrator of PHMSA should, as PHMSA considers possible changes to the potential impact radius calculation, evaluate what additional data are needed from operators to better understand the actual impact of pipeline incidents. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration The Administrator of PHMSA should develop an implementation plan for the remaining activities for the 2022 final rule that includes clear objectives, timelines, and an outreach strategy. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration The Administrator of PHMSA should update the 2019 and 2022 Gas Transmission Final Rule Implementation web pages to increase accessibility to rule implementation information. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Nuclear Power Plants: NRC Should Take Actions to Fully Consider the Potential Effects of Climate Change
GAO-24-106326
Apr 02, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Nuclear Regulatory Commission The Chair of the NRC should direct NRC staff to assess whether its licensing and oversight processes adequately address the potential for increased risks to nuclear power plants from climate change. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In its response to our draft report, NRC stated that this recommendation is consistent with actions that are either underway or under development. NRC stated that the NRC staff plans to review the recently released Fifth National Climate Assessment under NRC's Process for the Ongoing Assessment of Natural Hazard Information and will determine how the updated information can best inform the oversight of existing licensed power plants. In addition, the National Climate Assessment review may inform actions and guidance related to the licensing of new and existing facilities.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission The Chair of the NRC should direct NRC staff to develop, finalize, and implement a plan to address any gaps identified in its assessment of existing processes. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In response to our draft report, NRC stated that this recommendation is consistent with actions that are either underway or under development. NRC stated that based on the review of the Fifth National Climate Assessment conducted to implement recommendation 1, NRC will develop a plan for gaps identified, if specific gaps are found.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission The Chair of the NRC should direct NRC staff to develop and finalize guidance on incorporating climate projections data into relevant processes, including what sources of climate projections data to use and when and how to use climate projections data. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In response to our draft report, NRC stated that this recommendation is consistent with actions that are either underway or under development. Specifically, NRC stated that it has programs for the development and maintenance of guidance for both the staff and the regulated community, which include where consideration of climate projection data might be important. NRC further stated that it will decide how best to make use of the Fifth National Climate Assessment and other climate change-related resources through NRC's Process for the Ongoing Assessment of Natural Hazard Information.
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