Letter from the Secretary

The end of the Cold War, and the upheaval and adjustments it has triggered, has rounded out a century that witnessed the advent of remarkable advances in science and technology and passed to the next generation the awesome responsibility of atomic power. Fundamental changes in international relationships and geopolitical realities require changes in certain Government operations that were initially developed to fight the Cold War.

The Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies have been the Nation's vanguard for research and development of nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Now the Department is readjusting its focus to maintain a smaller nuclear arsenal, as well as confronting emerging national security threats such as nuclear proliferation. In addition, the Department is supporting a more stable and diversified energy foundation through research and development.

In response to these trends, the Department of Energy has undertaken a number of initiatives. In 1995, Deputy Secretary Charles Curtis launched the Materials in Inventory Initiative to address the systems used and needed to promote proper materials management and prompt disposition. I am pleased to present the result of that effort - Taking Stock: A Look at the Opportunities and Challenges Posed by Inventories from the Cold War Era . Complementing the Materials in Inventory Initiative is the Baseline Asset Inventory that provides the first corporate-level inventory of all of the physical assets, including lands and facilities, materials, and wastes, that comprise the industrial sector of the Department of Energy.

As demonstrated by these initiatives, the Department is adjusting its inventories of materials away from old missions and toward new and emerging ones. The transition will be difficult, but it is our responsibility as custodians of public trust and resources to operate our facilities and undertake our activities efficiently. Without action, the excess inventory will constitute an increasing custodial liability. I am confident that the Materials in Inventory Initiative will help meet this challenge.