EH has particular interest in recorded information that is useful in assessing individuals' health or exposures to hazardous materials incurred as a result of DOE operations. DOE is responsible for setting policies that promote a safe and healthful work environment and must ensure that intellectual control, including preservation and accessibility, is maintained over these valuable records.

Since 1990, a moratorium has been in effect on the destruction of DOE and DOE contractor records useful for epidemiological or health studies. DOE's Office of the Chief Information Officer provides information about the records schedules and how some are affected by the moratorium. See http://cio.doe.gov/RBManagement/. This moratorium ensures the retention of potentially useful records that do not have an adequate period (such as 75 years) before being destroyed. EH requested the moratorium, worked with records management to implement it, and continues to play a role in reviewing proposed records schedules and in releasing non-useful records from the moratorium.

Goals and Accomplishments:

Epidemiological Records Reviews

• Continued to conduct site visits and respond to questions about the applicability of the moratorium on certain types of records identified by sites. This refines the scope of the moratorium on the destruction of health-related records. In some instances the by the moratorium is lifted from records that are not useful for health research, thereby reducing costs and ensuring that resources are used to preserve useful records.



• Reviewed invoices for costs associated with storage of epidemiological records in Federal Records Centers because of the moratorium on their destruction. Some invoices were incorrect and costs were reduced.

Coordinate with the Office of Worker Advocacy

• Continued to coordinate records-related work with the Office of Worker Advocacy and DOE's implementation of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000.

Records for Closure Sites

• Of special concern to EH are sites undergoing closure where health-related records must be moved to other federally controlled locations with appropriate long-term management. EH continues to work with the new DOE Office of Legacy Management (LM) whose mission includes the proper transition of government records. A Protocol for Information and Records Management Transition Protocol is being developed that will ensure continued access to, and retention of, records important to EH in fulfilling its responsibilities under EEOICPA and its support of health studies. Revision 1 to this Protocol should soon be available at www.gjo.doe.gov

Related Documents & Links

• Review Process: DOE Field Site Records Retained Under the Moratorium on the Destruction of Health Related Records (16KB)
• DOE CIO Records Management Division
• DOE's OpenNet Database
• The Virtual Library of Energy Science and Technology
• National Archives and Records Administraiton
• DOE Nevada Coordination and Information Center
• Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Office
• Guides to Inventories of Records with Epidemiologic Value