Summary

Since so much of the radioactive and hazardous waste stored at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford site either has been buried or has leaked from underground storage tanks, monitoring is vital to detect whether contaminants are seeping toward groundwater. GAO has discovered, however, that programs to spot contamination in the vadose zone--the unsaturated soil layer above the groundwater level--have received scant funding, are operating with out-of-date and uncalibrated equipment, and are not comprehensive enough to assess the migration of contaminants. The several different programs and organizations now spending vadose zone funds are often unaware of each other's activities and tend not to share data, personnel, or knowledge. Further, DOE has no plan for improving its vadose zone activities. Vadose zone technology could help DOE save money by reducing the need for doing laboratory analyses and drilling wells.

GAO found that: (1) existing vadose zone programs are ineffective because of limited funding, an absence of modern equipment, and inability to detect new leaks quickly or determine the extent of contamination beneath the soil's surface; (2) DOE has not developed a strategy for coordinating its various vadose zone activities; (3) a strategy is needed to ensure that adequate money and effort are placed into improving programs and that DOE and contractor efforts are well coordinated; and (4) use of electronic radiation detection technology can cut the costs of environmental cleanup and reduce the risks of contaminating groundwater and exposing workers to radiation.