INTRODUCTION: RICHLAND OPERATIONS OFFICE RECORDS PRODUCED BY OPERATION& OPFPUCE ORGANIZATIONS SELECTED INACTIVE RECORDS CONTAINING ENVIRONMENT, SAPETY AND HEALTH INFORMATION by Roger M. Anders Milice of Human Radiation Experunents Deputy Sesistam Secretary for Plaoning and Adrnicustration Assistant Secretary for Eevionment, Safety and Health March W096 The Department of Energy and Tis Heritage: The Department of Energy (O08) is one ofthe most diverse agencies in the Federal government. Ht was created in 1977 from a score of organizational entities from ¢ dozen departments and agencies. DOE encourapes the development of energy technologies in several sreas—solar, geothermal, foesil fuel, and muckwer develops technologies aimed at promoting conservanion of energy mescurces. DOE is one of the largest Federal agency supporters of basic scientific research and manages a research complex thar includes scame of the nation’s preauer laborwories, DOE helesformulate national policies for energy use and development. Perhaps surprisingly to many, DOE aleo rung the raclear weapons research, development, and production complex as well as associated dismantlement and clean up activities. DOt's nuclear heritage comes from the World War i Manhattan Project which built the stomic bomb. The threads of DOE's involvement with nuclear issues and programs run through the following agencies: the Manhattan Engineer District (1942-1947), the Atanas nergy Commission (1947-1973), ead the Energy Research and Development Adminstration (1974~ 1977). DOE not only tock over finctions, cultures, and traditions from these agencies, 1 alec inherited records trom them. OMthese agencies, the longest lived and most comroversial was the Aiomic Energy Commission (AEC) The AEC also crested a greater volume of records than any other DOE predecessor agency and, not surorisinaly, DOE stil has custody of a subsiantial — vohume of AIC records,