system of external peer review to ensure the best proposals are selected, and it should intimately link technoloThe Department of Energy is moving 'Technology to characterize and re- gy development with user and site forward in its mammoth task of clean- mediate contaminated soil or water or to needs, the study adds. ing up environmental and waste prob- treat, store, and dispose of accumulated In strong terms, the panel urges that lems created during 50 years of nuclear waste safely does not always exist," the "the department's self-regulation of its weapons development. However, panel notes. And for most sites, "waste- nuclear-related activities should be elimstress two reports just issued by the disposal standards and goals for cleanup inated." It notes that "there is an inherNational Research Council (NRC), levels for the environment have not been ent tension (many would say a conflict "progress in meeting these challenges developed, agreed to, or applied." How- of interest) between meeting primary has been slow." Incentives are inade- ever, the report stresses, "responsible mission requirements (for example, disquate, changes in organization and stewardship means undertaking appro- mantlement of the nuclear weapons argoals are needed, and DOE "does not priate near-term or mid-term action to senal) and ensuring adequate protection pay an adequate level of attention to remediate a site to protect the public and of worker safety, public safety, and envithe application of good science and en- the environment when a permanent so- ronmental concerns." gineering in the implementation of en- lution is not at hand." The panel also recommends that vironmental remediation." The panel emphasizes that "Science DOE be more flexible in seeking to meet environmental and safety regulaOne report resulted from a request to tions. "In a number of instances in NRC a year ago by Thomas P. Grumbly, which the department and its contracDOE's assistant secretary for environtors cite regulatory restrictions as promental management and currently acthibiting common sense and safe soluing undersecretary of energy. The remetions to their problems, there is usually diation and waste management probsome form of regulatory flexibility that lems "require a total reengineering of has not been applied," such as the existing systems and a thorough examiwaivers or variances industry obtains. nation of the scientific, engineering, and Other recommendations include estabinstitutional barriers to achieving a more lishing a more specific set of goals for cost-effective stewardship of the nation's the cleanup program, developing a resources," Grumbly noted. "This examprocess for priority-setting that inination should be far more comprehencludes risk assessment, and building a sive than past analyses, which have inmanagement structure that allows for volved subject experts in narrow fields." stakeholder input in each activity. In response, NRC established a Committee to Evaluate the Science, EnThe second NRC report, entitled "Bargineering & Health Basis of DOE's Enriers to Science: Technical Management vironmental Management Program, of the Department of Energy Environwith four subcommittees. The commitmental Remediation Program," was pretee produced a 224-page report, "ImGrumbly: reengineer existing systems pared by the Committee on Remediation proving the Environment: An Evaluaof Buried & Tank Wastes, which since tion of the DOE's Environmental Man- and technology play key roles in virtu- 1993 has been examining how DOE agement Program." ally all activities of environmental manages radioactive and mixed wastes. The report commends DOE for recent management." DOE has set five "focus Citing a number of problems, the 30initiatives in the program to improve areas" for technology development in this page report concludes that the procontracting and budgeting, apply basic area: mixed-waste characterization, treat- gram's structure has impeded efforts to research results to environmental prob- ment, and disposal; radioactive tank- dean up sites and should undergo "funlems, and increase public participation waste remediation; contaminant plume damental rethinking." The panel adds in decisions. But the panel points out containment and remediation; landfill that political forces have contributed to that DOE and its contractors "have only stabilization; and facility transitioning, the program's problems: There are large weak incentives" for quick and effective decommission, and final disposition. penalties for any criticism, whether decleanup efforts. Indeed, federal budget- The department also has selected several served or not, and little reward for ing may perversely discourage rapid crosscutting priorities: characterization, achievements—resulting in distorted cleanup because funding decreases as monitoring, and sensors; efficient sepa- incentives. the size and seriousness of problems de- ration and processing; robotics; and Grumbly responds to the two reports cline. "Some even argue that the present technology transfer. by saying they "will have a strong imstructure of incentives rewards failure." The report urges DOE to "dramati- pact." In 30 to 60 days, DOE will issue So the report urges improving incentives cally improve its research and technol- a plan to implement the recommendaand accountability for federal employees ogy-development outreach"-—by wide- tions. DOE also says that recent efforts and contractors as the most effective ly opening its R&D program to all have rendered outdated or inaccurate way in the short term to meet DOE's en- qualified professionals and organiza- several examples cited in the second vironmental goals, lower cleanup costs, tions, including international expertise. report. and improve safety. DOE should implement a broad-based Richard Seltzer
Better management of nuclear cleanups urged
FEBRUARY 5,1996 C&EN 25
