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Energy Downsizing: Criteria for Community Assistance Needed

RCED-96-36 Published: Dec 27, 1995. Publicly Released: Dec 27, 1995.
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Highlights

GAO examined the criteria that the Department of Energy (DOE) used to: (1) identify and evaluate the economic effects of closing the Pinellas plant; and (2) decide what types and amounts of assistance are appropriate in offsetting the effects of future plant closings.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should direct the Director, Office of Worker and Community Transition, and other cognizant secretarial officers to develop criteria for Energy to identify the adverse economic effects of downsizing or closing its facilities.
Closed – Implemented
DOE issued interim guidance on community transition activities in the Federal Register in February 1997. The guidance is responsive to the report recommendation. It requires a community affected by the downsizing or closing of DOE's defense nuclear weapons facilities to submit an application that identifies the purpose and need for assistance and also contains criteria for evaluating the application.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should direct the Director, Office of Worker and Community Transition, and other cognizant secretarial officers to develop criteria for Energy to define the types and amounts of assistance that it will provide for economic development.
Closed – Implemented
DOE issued interim guidance on community transition activities in the Federal Register in February 1997. The criteria in this guidance are responsive to the report recommendation because they define the types of transition activities DOE will fund and the amount of funding DOE will provide for the various types of activities.

Full Report

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Topics

Federal downsizingImpacted area programsNuclear weapons plantsReductions in forceDownsizingEconomic developmentNuclear weaponsWorkersEconomic effectsCommunities