Special Report Management Challenges at the Department of Energy

With an annual appropriation of approximately $24 billion, the Department of Energy (Department) is a multi-faceted agency that encompasses a broad range of national security, scientific, and environmental activities. Since the passage of the Department of Energy Organization Act in 1977, the Department has shifted its emphasis and priorities over time as the energy and security needs of the Nation have changed. In recent years, the Department has refocused its efforts in areas such as energy efficiency and conservation, environmental cleanup, nuclear nonproliferation, and weapons stewardship. In order to accomplish its mission, the Department employs approximately 110,000 Federal and contractor personnel and manages assets valued at more than $134 billion, including a complex of national laboratories