Welcome to the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management's Web site.

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management was established in 1982 under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. OCRWM Acting Program Director Christopher Kouts reports to the Secretary of Energy.

Our goal is to keep stakeholders informed of what we're doing to further our mission:

• To manage and dispose of the nation's military and civilian high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel in a manner that protects the health and safety of the public without harming the environment.

We have met many milestones since Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act in 1982.  Our most recent is the June 2008 submission of a license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a deep-underground repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

This 8,000-page application documents more than 20 years of scientific analyses and engineering, and demonstrates that the nation's inventory of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste can be isolated from the environment and disposed of safely.  It reflects a massive science and technology effort, encompassing the work of thousands of people representing numerous national laboratories, internationally renowned science and engineering firms, universities, and the Department of Energy.  

We know that you may have questions about our Program, and we have addressed many topics on our Web site.  We strive to keep information timely, accurate, and relevant. If you have comments or questions, please use the Contact Us page.