The Secretary of Energy’s Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (OA) conducted an inspection of environment, safety, and health and emergency management programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in July and August 2002. The inspection was performed as a joint effort by the OA Office of Environment, Safety and Health Evaluations and the Office of Emergency Management Oversight. This volume discusses the results of the review of the WIPP emergency management program. The results of the review of the WIPP environment, safety, and health (ES&H) programs are discussed in Volume I of this report, and the combined results are discussed in a summary report.

The results of this review indicate that, overall, CBFO and WTS have effectively addressed nearly all of the weaknesses identified during the May 2000 OA emergency management review. Furthermore, as a consequence of that effort, CBFO and WTS have implemented a hazardous material emergency management program that, with few exceptions, meets Departmental expectations for providing a system that protects responders, site workers, and the public in the event of an emergency at WIPP.

Section 2 of this volume provides an overall discussion of the results of the review of the WIPP emergency management program, including positive aspects, findings, and other items requiring management attention. Section 3 provides OA’s conclusions regarding the overall effectiveness of CBFO and WTS management of the emergency management program. Section 4 presents the ratings assigned as a result of this review. Appendix A provides supplemental information, including team composition. Appendix B identifies the findings that require corrective action and follow-up. Appendices C- F detail the results of the reviews of individual emergency management program elements.