Meeting DOE's Environmental Cleanup and Waste Management Challenges

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) faces major technical and institutional challenges. Some challenges are related to uncertainties inherent to the cleanup mission, others are function of expanding work scope, while still others are related to growing expectations from States, regulators, and the public. However, no mailer what the source, EM must respond to these challenges if it is to accomplish its near- and long-term goals. This paper places the EM program and the five-year planning process into its historical context, reports on recent accomplishments, describes critical program challenges, and presents several strategies for meeting those challenges. DOE is responsible for waste management and cleanup of more than 100 contaminated sites in 36 States and Territories. In 1989, in an effort to resolve conflicts between DOE's defense production and environmental goals at these sites, Secretary Energy James D. Watkins outlined his vision of a changed DOE culture: one of environmental responsibility, coupled with increased public knowledge and involvement, a new openness, and overall accountability.