The Department of Energy (DOE) issues today a Report to Congress containing the most comprehensive analysis to date of its existing and anticipated long-term stewardship obligations at DOE sites.

The report, which fulfills a Congressional requirement, identifies the long-term stewardship activities anticipated by the department at as many as 128 sites by the year 2006. DOE already performs long-term stewardship activities at 34 sites that have been cleaned up and closed.

"The report provides a plan for ensuring the safety of DOE sites long after the cleanup has been completed." said Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson. "It also serves as a foundation for determining the science and technology requirements for meeting our long-term stewardship obligations at DOE sites."

While the primary focus of the report covers the period from now through the year 2006, the report provides a preliminary glimpse of what DOE's long-term stewardship obligations may be up to the year 2070. Long-term stewardship includes monitoring, maintenance, record keeping and other activities necessary to ensure protection of human health and the environment from hazards that may remain after cleanup, stabilization, or disposal of waste.

The estimated scope, cost and schedule of those activities is summarized in the two volume report. To date most of the department's efforts have been focused on the cleanup and closure of sites. This report not only clarifies post-cleanup long-term stewardship responsibilities but also informs the public of the department's near term planning and decision making.

The Report to Congress:  Long-Term Stewardship is available on the Internet at http://www.em.doe.gov/, and through DOE's Center for Environmental Management Information, 470 L'Enfant Plaza East, SW, Suite 7112, Washington, DC 20024, or by calling 1-800-7-EM-DATA (1-800-736-3282).

Media contact(s):
Dolline Hatchett, 202/586-5806

Number: R-01-025