Statement of Mark Gaffigan, Mng. Dir., Natural Resources and Environment, GAO. The U.S. has generated over 75,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel and high-level nuclear waste -- extremely hazardous substances -- at 80 sites in 35 states and is expected to more than double that amount by 2055. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) required the Dept. of Energy (DOE) to investigate a geologic repository for nuclear waste. In 1987, Congress amended NWPA to direct DOE to focus on a repository at Yucca Mountain, NV. In 2008, DOE submitted a license application for the repository but in March 2010 moved to withdraw it. However, the Nuclear Regulatory Comm. (NRC) or the courts -- as a result of federal lawsuits -- might compel DOE to resume the licensing process. GAO has reported on options for interim storage of this waste and the effects a Yucca Mountain termination could have on both commercial waste and DOE-managed waste. This testimony is based on that prior work and discusses (1) the status of the Yucca Mountain repository and national policy for nuclear waste disposal, (2) options for storing nuclear waste and their benefits and challenges, and (3) principal lessons that can be learned from past nuclear waste management efforts. Figures. This is a print on demand report.
The fed. gov¿t. is the nation's single largest energy consumer, spending approximately $17 billion in FY 2007. A number of statutes and executive orders have established and revised goals directing agencies to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions -- such as carbon dioxide, which results from combustion of fossil fuels and natural processes, among other things -- and increase renewable energy use. This report determines the extent to which: (1) fed. agencies met energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission, and renewable energy goals in FY 2007; (2) fed. agencies have made progress in each of these areas in the recent past; and (3) six selected agencies are poised to meet energy goals into the future. Illus.
Between 2000 and 2007 there were 1,088 oil industry mergers. Given the potential for price effects, it was recommended that the FTC undertake more regular retrospective reviews of past petroleum industry mergers. This report determines how mergers and market concentration -- a measure of the number and market shares of firms in a market -- affected wholesale gasoline prices since 2000. The auditor examined the effects of mergers and market concentration using an economic model that ruled out the effects of many other factors. He consulted with a number of experts and used both public and private data in developing the model. The model was tested under a variety of assumptions to address some of its limitations. Charts and tables.
In 1999, the Fed. Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC) began encouraging the voluntary formation of Regional Transmission Org. (RTO) -- independent entities to manage regional networks of electric transmission lines. FERC overseas 6 RTOs that cover 35 states and D.C. and serve over half of U.S. electricity demand. As electricity prices increase, stakeholders have voiced concerns about RTO benefits and how RTO expenses and decisions influence electricity prices. This report reviews: (1) RTO expenses and key investments in property, plant, and equipment from 2002 to 2006; (2) how RTOs and FERC review RTO expenses and decisions that may affect electricity prices; and (3) is there is consensus about RTO benefits? Charts and tables.
High-level nuclear waste -- one of the nation's most hazardous substances -- is accumulating at 80 sites in 35 states. The waste is supposed to be disposed of in a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, NV. However, the repository is more than a decade behind schedule, and the nuclear waste generally remains at the commercial nuclear reactor sites and DoE sites where it was generated. This report examines the key attributes, challenges, and costs of the Yucca Mountain repository and the two principal alternatives to a repository that nuclear waste management experts identified: storing the nuclear waste at two centralized locations and continuing to store the waste on site where it was generated. Ill.
Amid rising oil & gas prices & reports of record oil industry profits, a number of gov'ts., such as the State of Alaska, have taken steps to reevaluate &, in some cases, increase the share of oil & gas revenues they receive for the rights to develop oil & gas on their lands & waters. In FY 2006, oil & gas co. received over $77 billion from the sale of oil & gas produced from fed. lands & waters, & the Dept. of the Interior reported that these co. paid the fed. gov¿t. $10 billion in oil & gas royalties. This report documents the U.S. gov¿ts. take & implications assoc. with increasing royalty rates. It discusses: the U.S. gov¿ts. take relative to that of other gov¿t. resource owners; & the potential revenue implications of raising royalty rates on fed. oil & gas leases going forward. Illus.
Although competitive oil and natural gas markets generally provide incentives for companies to invest in R&D, some industry experts believe these companies may underinvest in certain areas. A recent report noted important criteria for the DoE to consider in evaluating its oil and natural gas R&D efforts -- including the likelihood that industry would perform the research without fed. funding. This report reviews: (1) how much U.S. industry has invested in oil and natural gas R&D over the last 10 years, and the current focus of these activities; (2) how DoE's oil and natural gas R&D funding and activities compare with industry's; and (3) to what extent DoE ensures that its oil and natural gas R&D would not occur without federal funding. Illus.
Discusses a recent report on the Dept. of Energy's (DoE) decision to restructure the FutureGen program. The original FutureGen plant was to capture and store underground about 90% of its CO2 emissions. Concerned about escalating costs, DoE announced in Jan. 2008 that it had decided to restructure FutureGen. DoE requested supplemental info. from restructured FutureGen applicants, which will be reviewed before any selection decision. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, known as the stimulus law, provides DoE an additional $3.4 billion for "Fossil Energy R&D." Such a substantial amount of funding could significantly impact DoE's decisions about how to move forward with programs such as FutureGen.
Providing drinking water and wastewater services are two key functions needed to support an urban lifestyle. To provide these services, energy is needed to extract, use, and treat water and wastewater. As the demand for water increases, the energy demands associated with providing water services are expected to grow. This report describe what is known about: (1) the energy needed for the urban water lifecycle; and (2) technologies and approaches that could lessen the energy needed for the lifecycle and barriers that exist to their adoption. Three cities were selected -- Memphis, TN; San Diego, CA; and Wash., D.C. -- as case studies to help understand the energy demands in different areas of the country. Illus. This is a print on demand report.
Oil shale deposits in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are estimated to contain up to 3 trillion barrels of oil -- or an amount equal to the world's proven oil reserves. About 72% of this oil shale is located beneath federal lands. Extracting this oil is expected to require substantial amounts of water and could impact groundwater and surface water. This report examined: (1) what is known about the potential impacts of oil shale development (OSD) on surface water and groundwater; (2) what is known about the amount of water that may be needed for OSD; (3) the extent to which water will likely be available for OSD and its source; and (4) federal research efforts to address impacts to water resources from OSD. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
Interest has re-emerged in developing oil and gas in the nation's offshore areas, such as the North Aleutian Basin. Located on the outer continental shelf where the Aleutian Islands meet the Alaskan mainland, the basin may contain sizable oil and gas deposits, although the area's environmental and cultural sensitivity has made oil and gas development in the area controversial. The Minerals Mgmt. Service (MMS) oversees oil and gas development in this offshore area. This report: (1) describes the basin's estimated quantities of oil and gas and needed infrastructure; (2) identifies steps MMS is to take to meet fed. requirements for oil and gas development; and (3) identifies challenges MMS faces in meeting these requirements. Illus.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) provided $3.2 billion for the Dept. of Energy¿s (DoE) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) to develop and manage projects to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions. This report examined: (1) how EECBG recipients used EECBG funds and challenges they faced, if any; (2) DoE and recipients¿ oversight and monitoring activities and challenges, if any; (3) the extent to which the EECBG program is meeting Recovery Act and program goals for energy savings; and (4) the quality of jobs data reported by Recovery Act recipients, particularly EECBG recipients. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.
Coal-fired power plants generate about 1/2 of the nation's electricity and about 1/3 of its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which contribute to climate change. In 2003, the DoE initiated FutureGen -- a commercial-scale, coal-fired power plant to incorporate integrated gasification combined cycle, an advanced generating technology, with carbon capture and storage. DoE's cost share was 74%, and industry partners agreed to fund the rest. Concerned about escalating costs, DoE restructured FutureGen. This report examines: (1) the original and restructured programs' goals; (2) similarities and differences between the new FutureGen and other DoE CCS programs; and (3) if the restructuring decision was based on sufficient info. Illus.
During the late 1990s, many petroleum companies merged to stay profitable while crude oil prices were low, and in recent years mergers have continued. Congress and others have concerns about the impact mergers might be having on competition in U.S. petroleum markets. The FTC has the authority to maintain competition in the petroleum industry (PI) and reviews proposed mergers to determine whether they are likely to diminish competition or increase prices, among other things. This report examines: (1) mergers in the U.S. PI and changes in market concentration since 2000; and (2) the steps FTC uses to maintain competition in the U.S. PI, and the roles other fed. and state agencies play in monitoring PI markets. Charts and tables.
In December 2007, the Congress expanded the renewable fuel standard (RFS), which requires rising use of ethanol and other biofuels, from 9 billion gallons in 2008 to 36 billion gallons in 2022. To meet the RFS, the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) are developing advanced biofuels that use cellulosic feedstocks, such as corn stover and switchgrass. The EPA administers the RFS. This report examines, among other things: (1) the effects of increased biofuels production on U.S. agriculture, environment, and greenhouse gas emissions; (2) federal support for domestic biofuels production; and (3) key challenges in meeting the RFS. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.
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