The Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977, which President Carter signed on August 4, 1977, created the Department of Energy, which assumed the responsibilities of the Federal Energy Administration, the Energy Research and Development Administration, the Federal Power Commission, and programs of various other agencies including the Nuclear Commission The department employs 16,000 and has an additional 93,094 people under contract. The budget for 2010 submitted by Obama was $26.4 billion and an additional amount of $38.3 billion was allocated to the Department from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the years 2009-2010. ―half of that money is spent dealing with the Cold War‘s environmental legacy‖
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material. Its responsibilities include the nation's nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, energy conservation, energy-related research, radioactive waste disposal, and domestic energy production. DOE also sponsors more basic and applied scientific research than any other US
federal agency; most of this is funded through its system of United States Department of Energy National Laboratories. The agency is administered by the United States Secretary of Energy,
The original purpose for the Department of Energy was to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It has failed miserably for we are now more dependent than when it was organized. In fact, it seems that it really is not seeking that goal at all. The 2009 Agency Financial Report says it is ―Working to Save the Planet‖ which is a much different objective than reducing our oil dependence. We only occupy about 5% of the planet so how are we going to save it? Probably by spending money.
The Department received a ―gift‖ from the 2008 stimulus program. That $38.3 billion ―gift‖ was really used to dispense money to others – Ford received $5.9 billion to reengineer plants in five states and Nissan received $1.6 billion for a factory in Tennessee. The stated mission of the stimulus funds was to help deal with ―economic uncertainty, U. S. dependence on oil and the threat of a changing climate‖. In other words they were to try to figure out what to do with the money. We know they are doing nothing to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. How are they going to help us deal with ―economic uncertainty‖? And, exactly what is the threat of a
―changing climate‖?
The Doe also runs a $300 million appliance rebate program and has a $5 billion ―Weatherization Assistance Program for weatherizing homes and creating green jobs
The Environmental Protection Agency is the main problem in our not having nuclear power plants, oil refineries and drilling for oil but the Department of Energy has the responsibility of developing plans and objectives for energy production in our country. Since we have stopped building nuclear power plants and oil refineries and curtailed oil drilling this department is partially responsible. When the gulf oil spill occurred the Interior Department was involved in stopping the drilling so it is also involved. . If so, and when you consider the lack of action in constructing power plants and oil drilling, it seems logical than the Department of Energy is not doing anything that helps us. Therefore, let us transfer the nuclear power functions to the Interior Department and close the Department of Energy and save a bunch of money. Since their total budget is $26.4 billion it would seem likely that we could save half of that and remove an obstacle to energy production.