The EM mission is to complete the safe cleanup of environmental legacy
resulting from five decades of nuclear weapons development and
government-sponsored nuclear energy research. EM is responsible for
managing and directing the cleanup of contaminated nuclear weapons
manufacturing and testing sites across the United States. Integral to that
responsibility is the need to safely disposition large volumes of nuclear
waste, safeguard and prepare for disposition of nuclear materials that
could be used in nuclear weapons, deactivate and decommission several
thousand radiologically and chemically contaminated facilities no longer
needed to support the Department of Energy's mission and remediate
extensive surface and groundwater contamination.
EM's first priority is to ensure the safety and health of the public and EM's
workforce while continuing to protect the environment. EM carries out the
mission using sound business practices, innovative management
approaches, and science and technology to reduce risks and costs within
the EM regulatory framework.