Public Resources

Agency description:

The Department of Energy promotes the use of science and technology to deal with energy, environmental, and nuclear issues.

Website:

www.energy.gov

Enabling Statute:

“There is established at the seat of government an executive department to be known as the Department of Energy. There shall be at the head of the Department a Secretary of Energy (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “Secretary”), who shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Department shall be administered, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary.” 42 U.S.C. § 7131

Key issues:

Energy efficiency; Energy Star; clean air, water, soil; climate change; coal; natural gas; oil; solar energy; renewable energy; wind energy; geothermal energy; fossil fuels; bioenergy; fusion energy; nanotechnology.

Sub-agencies:

Bonneville Power Administration; Energy Information Administration; Office of Environmental Management; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; National Nuclear Security Administration; Office of Scientific and Technical Information; Southeastern Power Administration; Southwestern Power Administration; Western Area Power Administration

Agency description:

The Bonneville Power Administration manages the operation and sale of electricity to areas of the Pacific Northwest from the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River.

Website:

www.bpa.gov

Key issues:

Impact on fish and wildlife; Albeni Falls Dam; overgeneration projects; I-5 corridor reinforcement; windpower.

Agency description:

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides independent energy information and analysis for decisionmakers.

Website:

www.eia.doe.gov

Key issues:

Shale gas; energy outlook predictions; energy consumption, production, and prices; home energy use.

Agency description:

The Office of Environmental Management manages waste management, environmental cleanup, technology development, and facilities operations related to the operation of nuclear facilities.

Website:

www.em.doe.gov

Key issues:

Nuclear cleanup; Waste Isolation Pilot Plant; Transportation Emergency Preparedness Program (TEPP) Radioactive Material Packaging (RAMPAC).

Agency description:

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission oversees hydropower projects as well as the transmission of natural gas, oil, electricity.

Website:

www.ferc.gov

Key issues:

Smart Grid; generator interconnect; dam safety.

Agency description:

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) manages nuclear nonproliferation programs, nuclear weapons, and naval reactor programs.

Website:

www.nnsa.energy.gov

Key issues:

Emergency preparedness; prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; nuclear stockpiles; Nuclear Naval Propulsion Program.

Agency description:

The Office of Scientific and Technical Information disseminates information on scientific and technological research and development to the DOE.

Website:

www.osti.gov

Key issues:

Accelerated delivery of scientific information.

Agency description:

The Southeastern Power Administration manages hydropower operations that provide electricity to customers in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, southern Illinois, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Website:

http://199.44.84.82/

Key issues:

Georgia-Alabama-South Carolina System; Kerr-Philpott System; Cumberland System; im Woodruff System.

Agency description:

The Southwestern Power Administration manages hydropower operations that provide electricity to parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Website:

www.swpa.gov

Key issues:

Interconnections; environmental management.

Agency description:

The Western Area Power Administration manages hydropower operations that provide electricity to fifteen western states.

Website:

www.wapa.go

Key issues:

Renewable energy; Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP); Electric Power Training Center.