Contaminated Excess Facilities: Use of Key Practices Would Strengthen DOE's Disposition Planning Efforts
Fast Facts
The Department of Energy estimated it will cost $1.4 billion to deactivate and decommission National Nuclear Security Administration facilities that are no longer used and are contaminated with radiological and chemical waste.
DOE is required to regularly update its plans for this work. Its last plan didn't have all the required information or all of what's needed to help ensure goals are met. For example, it doesn't say how it will address potential barriers identified in the plan—such as the challenges of deactivating a facility that is next to operational facilities.
We recommended ways to improve the plan before DOE's March 2025 update.
Disposing of a National Nuclear Security Administration Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Highlights
What GAO Found
As of fiscal year 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) estimated that it would cost $1.4 billion to deactivate and decommission 85 contaminated excess facilities owned by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and that are no longer needed to support DOE's missions. NNSA prioritizes disposition activities to align with its mission to maintain and modernize infrastructure for the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. NNSA has the authority to deactivate and decommission certain contaminated excess facilities but needs the Office of Environmental Management (EM) to carry out this work on some of the more complex and costly facilities. EM can do so once it has funding and contracting mechanisms in place and the facilities meet certain criteria.
NNSA Contaminated Excess Facilities at Seven Sites, as of Fiscal Year 2023
DOE officials said that the deactivation and decommissioning plan due in March 2025 would be similar to previous iterations. However, GAO found that DOE's most recent plan, issued in 2022, did not include four of the six statutorily required elements or fully incorporate the three key practices for planning for results of federal efforts. Addressing all statutorily required elements, such as by including a list of contaminated excess facilities prioritized based on the potential to reduce risk and maximize cost savings, may better provide Congress with a clearer picture of how DOE might most effectively help reduce the environmental liability that the remaining contaminated excess facilities pose. Also, DOE faces barriers, such as the availability of funding and contracting mechanisms, that affect its ability to deactivate and decommission facilities. Fully incorporating key practices, such as defining strategies to mitigate barriers, may help ensure that DOE understands and communicates what DOE is trying to achieve, how DOE will achieve it, and barriers limiting DOE's ability to do so.
Why GAO Did This Study
Effective management of DOE's contaminated excess facilities could reduce the U.S. government's environmental liability, which is on GAO's High Risk List. Deactivating and decommissioning such facilities is crucial for reducing risks and costs as the condition of facilities worsens over time. Since 2016, DOE has been required by statute to regularly plan for deactivating and decommissioning contaminated excess facilities.
Senate Report 118-58 includes a provision for GAO to evaluate DOE's efforts to develop a plan for deactivating and decommissioning contaminated excess facilities, which is due March 2025 and every 4 years afterward. GAO examined (1) DOE's approach to deactivating and decommissioning NNSA's contaminated excess facilities and (2) the extent to which DOE's planning efforts addressed statutory requirements and key practices. GAO analyzed DOE's fiscal year 2023 data on contaminated excess facilities, assessed DOE's 2022 deactivation and decommissioning plan, and interviewed NNSA and EM officials, including officials at seven sites with NNSA contaminated excess facilities.
Recommendations
GAO is making four recommendations, including that DOE ensure that its 2025 deactivation and decommissioning plan address all statutorily required elements and its 2025 disposition planning efforts fully incorporate GAO's key practices for planning for results of federal efforts. DOE concurred with all of GAO's recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 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) |
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.
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| 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) |
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.
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| 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) |
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.
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| 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) |
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.
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