Government Documents on Nuclear Energy

The U.S. Government has produced tremendous amounts of nuclear energy information for over fifty years. This information covers subjects as diverse as nuclear power plant safety and performance, nuclear engineering research, nuclear weapons construction and design, military strategy, weapons proliferation, remediation, and nuclear waste. Purdue University Libraries are a selective depository for U.S. Government documents and contain significant nuclear energy collections. Examples of subjects to search the Library Catalog for government documents on nuclear energy and related subjects include:

   Nuclear Energy Government Policy United States
   Nuclear Nonproliferation
   Nuclear Weapons Government Policy United States
   Radioactive Waste Disposal United States
   U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The principal index for U.S. Government documents is the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications HSSE Periodicals & REF 016.353 Un36. It is also available online from 1994-present. The GPO Index covers from 1976-present..

Other useful indexes to U.S. Government information include the Congressional Information Service (CIS) Index HSSE REF 328.73005 C76 which indexes current and recent congressional publications, CIS US Congressional Serial Set Index 1789-1969 HSSE REF 328.73 C761c, its online version (Purdue Users Only), and US Congressional Committee Hearings Index 1833-1969 HSSE REF 348.731 C76.

A useful reference source to consult for information on U.S. Government nuclear energy agencies (and other agencies) is:

US Government Manual

ENGR & HSSE REF 353 Un35
HSSE DOC AE 2.108/2:

Compilation of Selected Energy-Related Legislation: Energy and Radioactive Waste

Defense-Related Nuclear Laws As Amended Through December 31, 2003 HSSE DOC Y 4.AR 5/2:L 44/6

U.S. Code (Title 42 Chapter 23) HSSE REF 345 Un3co

Code of Federal Regulations (Title 10) HSSE REF 353.005 C64

Numerous U.S. Government agencies produce nuclear energy publiations. Examples include:

Atomic Energy Commission (This agency served as the U.S. Government´s principal nuclear energy regulatory agency until 1974.)	ENGR (various locations)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Since 1974, this agency has served as the U.S. Government´s principal civilian nuclear energy regulator.)	ENGR Y 3.N 88:
Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board	ENGR Y 3.N 88/2:
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (This agency is responsible for overseeing operating and safety conditions at the Energy Department´s defense nuclear facilities.)	HSSE DOC & MF Y 3.D 36/3:
Defense Threat Reduction Agency	ENGR & LIFE MF D 15
U.S. Department of Energy (various divisions)	ENGR E 1
Energy Information Administration (EIA)	ENGR E 3

Congressional committees are responsible for funding federal nuclear agency programs and conducting oversight of agency program performance. Examples of publications produced by these agencies and congressional support organizations in Purdue Libraries include:

Government Accountability Office Reports (This agency evaluates the performance of governmental programs for Congress.)	MEL MF GA 1.13:
U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China (Cox Report)	HSSE DOC Y 1.1/8:105-851
Office of Technology Assessment Reports (This agency advised Congress on scientific and technological issues from 1973-1995.)	HSSE DOC Y 3. T 22/2:
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (Online-Courtesy Stanford University Library) (Although no longer in existence, this committees publications are excellent sources for historical research on U.S. nuclear energy policy until the mid-1970´s.)	HSSE DOC Y 4.AT 7/2:
House Appropriations Committee (Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-IN) is a member of this committee)	HSSE MF Y 4.AP 6/1:
Senate Appropriations Committee (Appropriations committees are excellent sources for program spending information.)	HSSE MF Y 4.AP 6/2:
House Armed Services Committee (See HSSE DOC Y 4.SE 2/1: for this committees hearings from 1995-1998) (Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) is a member of this committee.)	HSSE DOC Y 4.AR 5/2A:
House Energy & Commerce Committee (Reps. Steve Buyer (R-IN) and Baron Hill (D-IN) are members of this committee.. Committee ranking member Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) is a Purdue graduate.) (See HSSE DOC Y 4.EN 2/3: & HSSE DOC Y 4.IN 8/4: for pre-1995 hearings of this committee)	HSSE DOC Y 4.C 73/8:
House Science Committee (Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN) is a member of this committee.)	HSSE DOC Y 4.SCI 2:
Senate Armed Services Committee (Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) is a member of this committee.)	HSSE DOC Y 4.AR 5/3:
Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee.	HSSE DOC Y 4.EN 2:
Senate Environment & Public Works Committee.	HSSE DOC Y 4.P 96/10:

Congressional Research Service Reports (Courtesy-University of North Texas Library)

Internet Resources

Increasing volumes of U.S. Government information are on the Internet. GPO Access contains the text of major U.S. Government legal, legislative, and regulatory information sources such as congressional bills, committee reports on legislation, the Federal Register, and the Code of Federal Regulations.

Other major U.S. Government websites dealing with nuclear energy include:

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

National Nuclear Security Administration

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Books

U.S. Dept. of Energy

DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM)

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Sandia National Laboratories

Energy Information Administration

Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention: U.S. Dept. of Energy