The optimized baseline project: Reinventing environmental restoration at Hanford

Technical Report · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:111728

Goodenough, J D; Janaskie, M T ^[1]; Kleinen, P J ^[2]

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1. Department of Energy, Richland, VA (United States)
2. Dames & Moore, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) is using a strategic planning effort (termed the Optimized Baseline Project) to develop a new approach to the Hanford Environmental Restoration program. This effort seeks to achieve a quantum leap improvement in performance through results oriented prioritization of activities. This effort was conducted in parallel with the renegotiation of the Tri-Party Agreement and provided DOE with an opportunity to propose innovative initiatives to promote cost effectiveness, accelerate progress in the Hanford Environmental Restoration Program and involve stakeholders in the decision-making process. The Optimized Baseline project is an innovative approach to program planning and decision-making in several respects. First, the process is a top down, value driven effort that responds to values held by DOE, the regulatory community and the public. Second, planning is conducted in a way that reinforces the technical management process at Richland, involves the regulatory community in substantive decisions, and includes the public. Third, the Optimized Baseline Project is being conducted as part of a sitewide Hanford initiative to reinvent Government. The planning process used for the Optimized Baseline Project has many potential applications at other sites and in other programs where there is a need to build consensus among diverse, independent groups of stakeholders and decisionmakers. The project has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach to program planning that accelerates the pace of cleanup, involves the regulators as partners with DOE in priority setting, and builds public understanding and support for the program through meaningful opportunities for involvement.

• Research Organization: Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ (United States). Coll. of Engineering and Mines; New Mexico State Univ., University Park, NM (United States); Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC), Las Cruces, NM (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 111728
• Report Number(s): CONF-940225--Vol.1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
AGREEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GROUND WATER
HANFORD RESERVATION
PLANNING
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
REMEDIAL ACTION
SOILS
TANKS
US DOE