To help verify effective protection of public safety and preservation of the environment, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)/California maintains an extensive, ongoing environmental monitoring program. This program monitors all significant airborne and liquid effluents and the environment at the SNL/California site perimeter. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) performs off-site environmental monitoring for both sites. These monitoring efforts ensure that emission controls are effective in preventing contamination of the environment. As part of SNL/California`s Environmental Monitoring Program, an environmental surveillance system measures the possible presence of radioactive and hazardous materials in ambient air, surface water, groundwater, sewage, soil, vegetation, and locally produced food-stuffs. The program also includes an extensive environmental dosimetry program, which measures external radiation levels around the Livermore site and nearby vicinity. Each year, the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program are published in this report, the Site Environmental Report. This executive summary focuses on impacts to the environment and estimated radiation doses to the public from site emissions. Chapter 3, {open_quotes}Compliance Summary,{close_quotes} reviews the site`s various environmental protection activities and compliance status, with applicable environmental regulations. The effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results for 1996 show that SNL/California operations had no harmful effects on the environment or the public. 37 figs., 12 tabs.