Federal Reports

Based on several complaints and at the request of then-Inspector of the Hazardous Incident Response Division (HIRD), the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a performance audit of the Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) program. The objectives of this audit were to determine if HMRT (1) established adequate internal controls and processes for ensuring the integrity of its program, (2) complied with applicable laws, regulations, and guidance pertaining to management and operation of its program, and (3) took corrective actions related to the previous recommendations OIG made in Report Number OIG-2010-02, Review of Hazardous Materials Response Team Procurement Process, issued in March 20 I 0. Our scope for the audit included HMRT controls, processes, and operations during Fiscal Years (FYs) 2011, 2012, and 2013. OIG contracted with Cotton & Company LLP to assist with the performance of this audit.

Based on the findings of a previous review, we evaluated the TVA Nuclear Power Group (NPG) Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). The objectives of our review were to determine if NPG's GWPP performed required monitoring and reporting and completed required corrective actions based on monitoring results.While NPG's GWPP performed required reporting, we could not verify the monitoring requirements in TVA's NPG standard programs and processes were followed. Our review also found corrective actions were taken to address the leaks and spills at TVA's nuclear plants reported to the NRC for the time frame of our review. However, we found opportunities for programmatic improvements. There were instances where programmatic weaknesses were identified several times over the last five years and were not remediated. External assessments also noted deficiencies in the program that were downgraded or excluded when NPG performed its fleet self-assessment. In addition, there was not a formal process in place to ensure recommendations made by external consultants were addressed. We made recommendations to management, accordingly, to address the findings in the report.