Environmental Compliance

The Office of Integrated Safety and Program Assurance (NE-43) serves as the focal point for providing guidance, direction, and assistance on the environmental aspects of all Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) programs. All NE interactions on environmental matters with the field sites, other Department of Energy (DOE) programs, and the Offices of Environment, Safety and Health and the General Counsel are coordinated by or through NE-43 staff. NE-43 serves in an advisory capacity on environmental matters affecting all NE programs. NE-43 maintains cognizance and contacts with other DOE programs to ensure involvement in matters of interest to NE programs.

A member of the NE-43 staff serves as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance Officer (NCO) for NE and is responsible for making certain that NE programs comply with the procedural and substantive requirements of NEPA, as outlined in the President's Council on Environmental Quality and DOE directives. The NCO provides guidance and direction to NE senior management and staff for the conduct of NEPA reviews, while also providing technical guidance and assistance in preparing NEPA documents.

NE-43 provides technical advice and regulatory support to NE programs for compliance with applicable environmental statutes and standards in areas such as the storage, treatment, and disposal of hazardous and mixed wastes, the management of radioactive materials, and compliance with state-issued environmental permits. In addition, NE-43 personnel perform assessments at NE facilities to ensure that environmental operations are safe and cost-effective, while also providing advice in the review of operational plans, facility upgrades, project baselines, and quality assurance related to environmental issues.

NE-43 environmental staff provides guidance and direction to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for the implementation of environmental programs mandated by Executive and DOE Orders including the Environmental Management System (EMS) and Pollution Prevention and Waste Minimization requirements. NE-43 staff provides evaluations and recommendations to the NE Director and other senior managers on the performance and status of these programs.