The Nevada Operations Office (NV) is responsible for supporting the nuclear test programs of the Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. This support includes the drilling of test holes for nuclear device testing a the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The purpose of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Energy's management of test hole inventories at the NTS. Our audit disclosed that NV accumulated a large inventory of unused test holes and approved drilling additional holes for which neither laboratory (Los Alamos nor Livermore) had identified a need. The overdrilling of test holes occurred because NV did not comply with good inventory practices that would have had NV's approving official question the need for, and the timing of, the laboratories' drilling requests. Instead, NV gave perfunctory approval to the laboratories' work orders for drilling test holes, and emphasized keeping two drill rig crews busy and satisfying the laboratories' demands for dedicated drilling personnel. Although NV did not agree that overdrilling had occurred, it has cut back its drilling activities and estimated that this will save abut $7.6 million annually. NV agreed with the recommendations in the report and has taken corrective actions.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.