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RED-76-38 1 (1975-10-28)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaaeft0001 and id is 1 raw text is: COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES071 WASHINGTON. D.C. 2048 B-i 5071 e ,-' * C 19Th5 The Honorable John 0. Pastore Chairman, Joint Committee on- / Atomic Energy .- -'' United States Congress Dear Mr. Chairman: On May 23, 1975, the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy requested us to review allegations that coal shipped to the Energy Research and Development Administration Y-12 plant at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has contained large amounts of dirt. We examined these allegations and specifically evaluated the procedures for insuring that coal shipments to the Y-12 plant are free of foreign materials and for determining the quality of coal received. We met with responsible Energy Research and Development Administration officials, officials rand employees of the con- tractor operating the Y-12 plant, and members of the group involved in making the allegation. We discussed coal-sampling standards and procedures with officials of the American Soci- ety for Testing and Materials and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines. The American Society for Testing and Materials, which consists of members from Government and private industry, has established and issued standards for coal sampling and analysis. We observed the receipt of coal shipments at the Y-12 plant and requested a test sample be obtained and analyzed. We also examined and evaluated perti- nent records and procedures. The quality of coal delivered to the Y-12 plant--oper- ated under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract by the Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division--is determined by collecting and analyzing samples taken from coal received at the plant. Carbide's analyses of the coal delivered by Shemco, Inc.--the company alleged to be including large amounts of dirt in coal shipments to the Y-12 plant--did not support the allegation. Our review of Carbide's sampling procedures and practices, however, disclosed that they did not collect a sample which was representative of the entire load of coal and that a more representative sample was needed to better identify the coal quality. Accordingly, we con- cluded that Carbide's sampling procedures needed to be revised RD-76' 3 A . RED-76-38