DOE Releases Historical Records Declassification Guide

The Department of Energy has released a redacted version of its October 2005 Historical Records Declassification Guide, a document used by classification reviewers to determine which information may be publicly released under the declassification provisions of executive order 12958.

There are 15 categories of DOE national security information that are exempt from automatic declassification, the Guide explains, including information on naval nuclear propulsion, chemical and biological defense, space nuclear reactors, and much more.

The redacted Guide identifies topics within each one of those categories and indicates whether they are classified or unclassified.

Some of the material is of broader interest and significance.
Appendix B, for example, provides a summary account of the history of nuclear weapons accidents, and explains that any further information beyond what is presented there must undergo classification review.

See "Historical Records Declassification Guide" (CG-HR-3), Department of Energy, October 2005 (redacted version):

http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/doe/cg-hr-3/index.html