Department of Energy Organization in the United States

Introduction to Department of Energy Organization

The Department of Energy has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and eight operations offices throughout the U.S. It has assumed control of the facilities and personnel of five regional administrations for the transmission and marketing of electric power and of strategic reserves of oil, shale, and uranium. Many research laboratories, including Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York and the nuclear research facility at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, are also part of the DOE.

The Department of Energy Organization Act, which created the DOE, stipulated that it work closely with other departments of the government to reduce energy waste in federal programs. The DOE is also required to work with such other federal agencies as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Mines, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which have direct authority over the establishment of air and water pollution standards and standards for safe design of nuclear power plants.

The DOE is required to prepare and submit to Congress biennially a National Energy Policy Plan, outlining objectives for energy use in light of other aims, such as full employment, price stability, national security, economic growth, environmental quality and protection, control of dangerous nuclear materials, and efficient utilization of publicly and privately owned energy resources.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is an independent regulatory agency within the DOE. The FERC has many of the responsibilities of the former Federal Power Commission, including power to establish and monitor rates charged for electricity and for the transportation of oil and gas by pipeline. The chairman and the four commissioners of the FERC are appointed by the president with the concurrence of Congress.

Another department, the Energy Information Administration, collects, analyzes, and publishes data on energy reserves, production, consumption, and other matters. Extensive fieldwork is carried on to ensure the accuracy of these data.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Department of Energy Organization in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Department of Energy Organization

In this Section

Federal Departments, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense (including Department of Defense Purpose, Department of Defense Organization, Department of Defense Liaison of Command and Department of Defense Supporting Agencies), Department of Education, Department of Energy

(including Department of Energy Purpose, Department of Energy Organization and Department of Energy Research and Development), Department of Health and Human Services (including Department of Health and Human Services History and Department of Health and Human Services Agencies and Services), Department of Homeland Security (including Department of Homeland Security Organization and Functions, Department of Homeland Security Origins and Department of Homeland Security Supporting Agencies), Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice (including Department of Justice Functions, Department of Justice Structure and Department of Justice Associated Agencies), Department of Labor, Department of National Defence, Department of State (including Department of State Administration and Department of State Bureaus), Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, Department of the Interior (including Department of the Interior Functions and Department of the Interior Principal Agencies), Department of the Navy, Department of the Treasury, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs (including the Department of Veterans Affairs Service Categories, Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Available and GI Bill of Rights) and Department of War.