Auditors working for the U.S. Department of Energy's inspector general said they identified a study that was not run through quality assurance before being included in four documents related to the repository's expected performance.

While the use of unqualified material is sometimes OK, the auditors determined it was not justified in this case.

In a five-page report issued Thursday, auditors said several other previously identified procedural issues had not been fully resolved.

Ward Sproat, head of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, told inspectors the issues will be reviewed.

In a series of reports over the years, the DOE inspector general and the Government Accountability Office have focused on weaknesses in the Yucca quality assurance program.

DOE managers said fixing the program has been a priority and that it largely has turned around.

The findings in the latest report "are not huge per se, but when you look at the pattern that has been documented it is clear DOE has not instilled in its workers the need for quality controls," said Bob Loux, director of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects.

In another citation in the latest report, auditors said five questionable safety documents were processed between December 2005 and October 2006, a period when the DOE had put a freeze on while trying to fix quality procedures.

Auditors credited the DOE for spotting the problem first. They said there was no impact because the documents were revised after being run through the new procedures.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@ stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.