Funding Sources Unclear for Nuclear Waste Cleanup, Watchdog Says

The Energy Department needs to show how it’s going to pay for hazardous and radioactive waste cleanup and deal with nearly $380 billion in environmental liabilities, a government watchdog said Jan. 29.

Since the department doesn’t have an overarching, national strategy to clean up waste from its Cold War nuclear weapons program, the agency’s cleanup decisions are inconsistent across sites and not cost-effective, the Government Accountability Office reported. The department’s budget materials “have not provided required or accurate information” on the funding it will need for future cleanup responsibilities, the Jan. 29 report said.

The watchdog recommended the department ...