Office of the Inspector General Semiannual Report to Congress (NUREG-1415, Volume 22, Number 2)

On this page:

• Publication Information
• A Message from the Inspector General

Download complete document

• NUREG-1415, Volume 22, No. 2 (PDF - 2.24 MB)

Publication Information

Date Published: March 2010
Reporting Period: October 1, 2009 – March 31, 2010

Office of the Inspector General
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555

Availability Notice

A Message from the Inspector General

I am pleased to present this Semiannual Report to Congress on the activities and accomplishments of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) from October 1, 2009, to March 31, 2010.

Our work reflects the legislative mandate of the Inspector General Act, which is to identify and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse through the conduct of audits and investigations relating to NRC programs and operations. The audits and investigations highlighted in this report demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling this mission. As the Nation embarks upon a renewed interest in nuclear power, my office will continue to work with NRC staff to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of NRC programs.

During this reporting period, the NRC OIG continued its focus on critical agency operations to include quality assurance planning for new reactors, the physical security inspection program for Category I fuel cycle facilities, and the NRC lessons learned program. Working with the NRC to identify potential shortcomings early on will afford the agency the opportunity to take any necessary corrective action. During this semiannual reporting period, we issued 11 program audit reports and analyzed one contract audit report. As a result of this work, OIG made a number of recommendations to improve the effective and efficient operation of NRC's safety, security, and corporate management programs. OIG also opened 19 investigations, and completed 17 cases. Eight of the open cases were referred to the Department of Justice, and 20 allegations were referred to NRC management for action.

The NRC OIG remains committed to the integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness of NRC programs and operations, and our audits, investigations, and other activities highlighted in this report demonstrate this ongoing commitment. Those efforts were recently recognized with the granting of two Awards for Excellence by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to an audit team and a senior special agent. I commend their noteworthy achievements in carrying out the mission of the Inspector General.

My office is dedicated to maintaining the highest possible standards of professionalism and quality in its audits and investigations. I would like to acknowledge our auditors, investigators, and support staff for their superior work and commitment to the mission of our office.

Finally, NRC OIG's success would not be possible without the collaborative efforts between my staff and agency managers to address OIG findings and to implement the corrective actions recommended by my office. I thank them for their dedication and support, and I look forward to their continued cooperation as we work together to ensure the integrity of agency operations.

Hubert T. Bell
Inspector General