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Category Archives: Energy

GAO Reports – Bee Health, Oil and Gas Management, US Secret Service

Bee Health: USDA and EPA Should Take Additional Actions to Address Threats to Bee Populations, GAO-16-220: Published: Feb 10, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 11, 2016. Oil and Gas Management: Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Restructuring Has Not Addressed Long-Standing Oversight Deficiencies, GAO-16-245: Published: Feb 10, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 11, 2016. U.S. Secret… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – Defense Weather Satellites, Emergency Communications, Stewardship of Clinical Trials, Space Acquisitions

Defense Weather Satellites: Analysis of Alternatives Is Useful for Certain Capabilities, but Ineffective Coordination Limited Assessment of Two Critical Capabilities, GAO-16-252R: Published: Mar 10, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 10, 2016. Emergency Communications: Actions Needed to Better Coordinate Federal Efforts in the National Capital Region, GAO-16-249: Published: Mar 10, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 10, 2016. Energy… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – Data Center Consolidation, Modernizing the Nuclear Security Enterprise

Data Center Consolidation: Agencies Making Progress, but Planned Savings Goals Need to Be Established [Reissued on March 4, 2016], GAO-16-323: Published: Mar 3, 2016. Publicly Released: Mar 3, 2016: The 24 agencies participating in the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative have collectively made progress on their data center closures efforts. As of November 2015, agencies… Continue Reading

ProPublica – It is not if, but when Houston’s perfect storm will hit

“Houston is the fourth-largest city in the country. It’s home to the nation’s largest refining and petrochemical complex, where billions of gallons of oil and dangerous chemicals are stored. And it’s a sitting duck for the next big hurricane. Learn why Texas isn’t ready…” This is a visual and content rich piece of reporting that… Continue Reading

Dept. of Energy Notice – Protection of Human Subjects in Classified Research

Via Steven Aftergood – Secrecy News – “The Department of Energy last month issued new guidance on the conduct of classified scientific research involving human subjects. While all human subject research is governed by federal regulations, the new DOE policy imposes several additional requirements whenever such research is to be performed on a classified basis.… Continue Reading

GAO reports on huge costs to modernize National Nuclear Security Administration

Department of Energy: Observations on Efforts by NNSA and the Office of Environmental Management to Manage and Oversee the Nuclear Security Enterprise, GAO-16-422T: Published: Feb 23, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 23, 2016. “The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)—a separately organized agency within DOE—continues to face several ongoing challenges in modernizing the… Continue Reading

Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure

Via FAS – CRS Report – Legislative Options for Financing Water Infrastructure – Claudia Copeland Specialist, in Resources and Environmental Policy; Steven Maguire, Section Research Manager; William J. Mallett, Specialist in Transportation Policy. February 18, 2016. “This report addresses several options considered by Congress to address the financing needs of local communities for wastewater and drinking… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – Department of Energy, Nuclear Nonproliferation, Unaccompanied Children

Department of Energy: Observations on Efforts by NNSA and the Office of Environmental Management to Manage and Oversee the Nuclear Security Enterprise, GAO-16-422T: Published: Feb 23, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 23, 2016. Nuclear Nonproliferation: Preliminary Observations on IAEA’s Role in Verifying the Iran Agreement, GAO-16-417: Published: Feb 12, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 23, 2016. Unaccompanied… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – Hardrock Mining, Health Care Fraud, Military Enlisted Aides, Unaccompanied Children, DOD Service Acquisition, Military Base Closures

Hardrock Mining: BLM and Forest Service Have Taken Some Actions to Expedite the Mine Plan Review Process but Could Do More, GAO-16-165: Published: Jan 21, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 22, 2016. Health Care Fraud: Information on Most Common Schemes and the Likely Effect of Smart Cards, GAO-16-216: Published: Jan 22, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 22,… Continue Reading

EPA Releases Online Mapping Tool to Help Protect Drinking Water Sources

Via EPA – “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released DWMAPS – the Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters. This robust, online mapping tool provides the public, water system operators, state programs, and federal agencies with critical information to help them safeguard the sources of America’s drinking water. DWMAPS allows users to learn… Continue Reading