From: | CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org> |
Date: | 9 Jan 2001 19:10:59 -0000 |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | [CPEO-MEF] Comprehensive Report Evaluates Ten Years of Innovative Technology D |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ann Dempsey Pacific Rim Enterprise Center Ph: (206) 224-9934 x21 Fx: (206) 224-9935 www.pacific-rim.org Comprehensive Report Evaluates Ten Years of Innovative Technology Deployment at U.S. DOE, Offers Recommendations Seattle, WA, January 5, 2001--Representatives from several state agencies have just released a comprehensive report that evaluates the first ten years of the Department of Energy's (DOE) environmental technology deployment efforts as conducted by the Office of Science and Technology (OST) within the Office of Environmental Management (EM). Since the end of the Cold War, DOE/EM has concentrated its efforts on the cleanup of the nation's former nuclear weapons production facilities, and key to the success of these endeavors has been the use of innovative technologies that reduce costs and accelerate the cleanup schedule, all the while ensuring the health and safety of the public and the environment. > > The report, Approaches to Improve Innovative Technology Deployment at the U.S. Department of Energy: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for a Path Forward, evolved as a result of three workshops held on the subject of technology deployment at DOE/EM. The workshops brought together state and interstate groups, regulators, DOE site contractors, federal officials, and various stakeholder groups with the goal of facilitating dialogue about the deployment process. > "This is the first comprehensive overview of EM's past programs," notes project manager and contributing author, Michael Jacobson, "and it draws on a number of different perspectives. Due to this diverse participation, the report offers a broad spectrum of recommendations for improving the deployment process. At the same time, it reveals certain universal themes that emerged during the workshops and describes the collective proposals that arose as a result." > > Approaches provides an overview of the significant achievements made and challenges faced by OST during the first decade of its program. Based largely upon the workshops' findings, the report captures the concerns of the various participants and identifies opportunities to improve the working relationships between DOE and its stakeholders. In addition, Approaches offers suggestions for paths forward with regard to nine aspects of the technology development and deployment process, such as technology assessment, information management, contract reform, and regulatory acceptance. Among the recommendations made to OST in the report are the following: > > · Increase funding of deployment assistance projects by two to three times current levels, allocating additional funds above and beyond the existing research and development program. > > · Improve contracting mechanisms by aligning financial incentives with clearly defined performance specifications, to help create market demand for innovative technologies. > > · Require third-party verification of innovative technology > performance in order to address regulatory and contractors' concerns about using new technologies. > > · Increase the involvement of DOE technical staff with the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation network with the aim of improving DOE's multi-site deployment rate. > > · Continue to fund and support the Accelerated Site Technology > Deployment program, regarded by many as one of EM's most successful deployment efforts to date. > > "The Approaches report could prove to be a useful template for those in the new Administration's transition team charged with understanding EM's technology deployment process," concludes Jacobson. "To deploy technologies successfully, numerous factors must work simultaneously, much like multiple gears working in unison. Approaches provides recommendations on how to optimize these working relationships." > > The technology deployment workshops and production of the report were conducted under the auspices of the Western Governors' Association, the Southern States Energy Board, and the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperation Work Group. Pacific Rim Enterprise Center served as project manager and publisher. To obtain a copy of the report, contact Ann Dempsey of Pacific Rim, a non-profit organization that develops innovative, practical solutions to complex regional, national, and international environmental problems. To view an online version, please go to www.pacific-rim.org/pub/approaches.pdf. # # # Ann Dempsey Pacific Rim Enterprise Center The Maritime Building 911 Western Ave., Ste. 508 Seattle, WA 98104-1047 (206) 224-9934 X 21 (206) 224-9935 (fax) adempsey@pacific-rim.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | |
Prev by Date: [CPEO-MEF] Viques Digest 1/9/01 Next by Date: [CPEO-MEF] Leukemia Victims | |
Prev by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] Viques Digest 1/9/01 Next by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] Leukemia Victims |