EM Update | Vol. 7, Issue 3 | March 2015

Women of Waste Management Panel Advises Audience: ‘Embrace Hard Work’

Panelists, from left, included Johnson, Charboneau, and Piketty, and moderator Jody Redeker. 

PHOENIX – A panel of distinguished leaders in nuclear cleanup discussed issues facing women in the workplace in front of a standing-room-only crowd of participants in the Waste Management 2015 Conference this month.

   For the sixth year in a row, EM contractor Fluor sponsored the Women of Waste Management panel, which included Stacy Charboneau, manager of EM’s Richland Operations Office; Laurence Piketty, manager of Nuclear Decommissioning and Dismantling for the Nuclear Energy Division of the French Atomic Energy Commission; and Carol Johnson, president and CEO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, EM’s management and operations contractor at the Savannah River Site. March is Women’s History Month. 

   Although the discussion’s theme was on barriers that keep women from advancing professionally, the panelists shared that they had not felt such restrictions in their careers.

   “I don’t ever recall thinking that any job would be out of my reach because I’m a woman,” Charboneau said. “I’ve been fortunate to have always been evaluated on my merit more so than my demographic. I believe we’re probably a generation or two away from true equality, but I’m very happy to say that I don’t see gender bias being an issue in the near future.”

   Piketty described attributes that make women good leaders.

   “In my experience, women are perhaps more willing to consider others’ perspectives on issues and encourage more diversity of thought,” she said. “The best answer is sometimes a combination of ideas, and not just the first answer that comes to mind. Having more women on teams leads us to more fully explore our options.” 

   The panelists offered advice for getting ahead in the workplace: embrace hard work.

   “Take the tough jobs,” Johnson said. “Do the things that no one else wants to do so that you can understand and appreciate everything that needs to be done at all levels to be successful. That experience will be invaluable to you as you advance in your career because it gives you relatability. There’s no substitute for having been there.”

   Charboneau also advised the attendees to give themselves a break every now and then.

   “There used to be this school of thought that said your career had to be linear, but that’s not true anymore,” she said. “Having a family doesn’t have to be the end of your career. I’ve found that some of the best employees are working parents because they’re able to prioritize and multitask. It’s okay to have a plan of what you’d like to accomplish in your career, but plans change, and the most successful people are the ones who are open to those changes.”

   Jody Redeker, sales director for Fluor’s environmental and nuclear business line, moderated the session.

   “It was great to see this wonderful organic dialogue that was driven as much by the audience as it was the panelists,” she said. “There was this amazing energy in the room, and almost everyone stayed afterwards to continue the conversation. I was honored to be a part of it.”

   Fluor was pleased to sponsor a panel that promotes the empowerment of women in the workplace.

   “This is an issue that we feel strongly about as a company and one of the highlights of the conference for me each year,” Greg Meyer, Fluor senior vice president and Waste Management Symposia board member, said. “It’s gotten to be so popular that we’re going to have to get a bigger room next year. That speaks volumes for the quality of the discussions and the interest in the topic.”

   He said, “As we have in years past, Fluor made a charitable contribution of $25 per person for everyone who attended. This year, we selected the American Heart Association as our charity, and based on the outstanding attendance, were able to donate $10,000 in honor of women’s health.”

   Christie Davis, who accepted the contribution on behalf of the association, urged the women in the audience to be their own best advocates.

   “Know your risk factors, know the symptoms of cardiovascular disease, and know when to speak up,” she said. “Too many women put off taking care of themselves because they’re too busy taking care of everyone around them. These discussions are so important, and I thank Fluor for this generous donation and their commitment to women’s health.”

EM Official Shares Insight at Women’s Conference

Regalbuto (right to left) is joined by U.S. Tennessee Eastern District Judge Pamela Reeves; State Collaborative on Reforming Education President and CEO Jamie Woodson; Scripps Network Interactive Senior Vice President Julie Elliot; and DOE Office of Science Field Operations Associate Deputy Director Stephanie Short.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Earlier this month, EM Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Monica Regalbuto participated in Oak Ridge’s annual women’s workshop. The conference, themed “All Hands In: Innovate and Collaborate,” was hosted by the Federal Women’s Program and the local chapter of Federally Employed Women. 

   With more than 200 participants from around the region in attendance, Regalbuto joined speakers and panelists that serve in leadership roles in government, corporations, and professional sports to discuss topics affecting today’s managers and workforce. March is Women’s History Month. 

   The panel members discussed many subjects at the core of the EM mission and organization. The moderator began the session by asking the panelists how they foster innovation in their organizations. 

   Regalbuto cited Oak Ridge’s Transuranic Waste Processing Center as a shining example of innovation in government.

   Regalbuto explained that workers took pride and ownership in the facility’s construction and provided designs and suggestions that led to savings and higher efficiency operations.

   “Listening is a good skill set to have to advocate innovation,” she said.  

   With the diversity of challenges at EM sites nationwide, innovation is crucial for the cleanup program’s success. In some cases, engineers and project managers work on issues that haven’t yet been addressed in the world.

   From demolishing highly contaminated facilities to processing plutonium-laden tank waste and removing mercury from groundwater, EM’s work requires strategic planning, and often times, the development of new technology.

   “You cannot schedule time for creativity and innovation,” Regalbuto said. “It comes when your door is open.”  

Regalbuto shares lessons from her career to more than 200 participants attending the women’s leadership conference in Oak Ridge.

   She continued that supervisors should always welcome input from employees who want to share new perspectives and ideas about improvements. She encouraged managers to pair the employee who has a suggestion with the project’s manager or technical expert to test and possibly incorporate the idea.

   The complexities involved with EM’s cleanup projects require continual evaluation. To make progress, Regalbuto emphasized the value of brainstorming but urged caution on how to approach it.

   Regalbuto concluded with words of encouragement to impact America’s younger generations. While living in Chicago, she served on Illinois’s District 25 High School Board. She encouraged those in the audience to become involved in their communities.  

   “Be an advocate for members of the community that are not represented or don’t have time. Participate, participate, participate,” she said.

Energy Department Fellows Present Research at Waste Management Conference

DOE Fellows are pictured at the Waste Management 2015 Conference with FIU ARC Director Dr. Leonel Lagos (front row, second from right) and EM Acting Assistant Secretary Mark Whitney (front row, far right).

PHOENIX – Florida International University (FIU) students this month participated in the Waste Management 2015 Conference, where they presented their EM-related research.

   In a conference competition titled, “The Next Generation — Industry Leaders of Tomorrow,” the 20 DOE Fellows and other FIU students presented technical posters based on research they performed during summer internships at EM sites and DOE’s network of national laboratories, as well FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC). That center provides technical research support to EM in environmental remediation and student workforce development for high-priority areas such as radioactive waste processing and facility deactivation and decommissioning (D&D).

   Their research efforts fall under a five-year cooperative agreement between EM and FIU that has allowed the university to develop expertise and specialized facilities through its dedicated scientific and engineering work, which is aligned with EM’s mission to accelerate risk reduction and site cleanup.

   In a professional poster category focused on groundwater issues and environmental remediation, Hansell Gonzalez, a fellow and chemistry Ph.D. student, presented a poster based on research he performed in a 2014 internship at EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Miles Denham.

   Fellow Robert Lapierre was recognized at the conference for receiving a graduate-level 2015 Roy G. Post Foundation Scholarship. The foundation is a non-profit organization formed by Post’s students, peers, and protégés to provide scholarships to students to develop careers in the safe management of nuclear materials and to participate in this annual conference on the safe management and disposition of radioactive materials and waste.

   Lapierre took part in a panel during a session titled, “Graduating Students and New Engineers - Wants and Needs.” The panelists, who included students, industry, and government representatives, shared their perspectives on the new generation entering a workforce with many workers close to retirement.

   FIU researchers presented eight professional presentations based on applied research conducted by ARC on behalf of EM in major areas of research, including high-level waste, soil and groundwater remediation, D&D, and information technology for environmental management.

   FIU hosted a booth in the conference’s exhibiter’s hall on the EM applied research at ARC and live demonstrations of the D&D Knowledge Management Information Tool, a free web-based knowledge management information tool custom built for the D&D user community. 

   The fellows created biographies to prepare for the conference. View them here.

   The fellows are part of the DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Initiative, which works to create a pipeline of minority engineers trained and mentored to work at DOE. This initiative was designed to address DOE’s future workforce needs and partners with academic, government, and DOE contractors to mentor minority scientists and engineers in the research, development, and deployment of new technologies addressing DOE’s environmental cleanup challenges.

   After graduating from the university and completing the fellowships, the students seek employment at DOE, other government agencies, and DOE contractors.

   For more information, contact ARC Director of Research Dr. Leonel Lagos at (305) 348-1810 or lagosl@fiu.edu, and visit the program website.

EM Conducts Third Annual Spanish Language Training with Record Participation

Emergency responders search for a mock radiological source in a training exercise.

SAN DIEGO – EM conducted a training program with mock exercises in radiological accident response this year that drew record attendance, more than twice the participants from the year prior.

   The Transportation Emergency Preparedness Program (TEPP), which is administered by EM’s Office of Packaging and Transportation, held the Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training in San Diego in partnership with the California Fire Training Institute and the San Diego Fire Department.

   The third annual Spanish language program, which involves 16 hours of training, attracted 45 emergency responders from California, New York, Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

   “I had the privilege of attending some of this training and was impressed with the dedication and ingenuity that all the first responders showed,” TEPP Program Manager Ellen Edge said. “These men and women work with severely limited funding and equipment, and accomplish more than many departments with greater resources.”

Training participants receive instructions for using survey instruments.

   The National Health Physics Society and the states of Virginia and Kentucky donated 40 radiological survey instruments for detecting radiation. The emergency responders trained with the instruments and were allowed to keep them. 

   TEPP and the Federation of Hispanic Firefighters translated the training textbook and presentation slides into Spanish. Translators also assisted TEPP instructors. 

   The training was conducted in concert with an annual fire-and-rescue trade show known as the Firehouse World conference, which allowed the emergency responders to participate in the radiological response training and attend the conference during the same trip.

   TEPP ensures federal, state, tribal, and local responders have access to the plans, training, and technical assistance necessary to safely, efficiently, and effectively respond to radiological transportation accidents.

   For more information on this program, contact Edge at (301) 903-8327 or ellen.edge@em.doe.gov.

Idaho Workers Eager to Check Condition of Waste Moved to Cargo Containers Decades Ago

A worker on a forklift pulls a drum filled with radioactive waste from a cargo container.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – From 1952 to 1970, workers buried drums containing radioactive waste from the now-closed Rocky Flats site at the Idaho site’s Subsurface Disposal Area. 

   In the 1970s, the Idaho site wanted to find out how those waste drums change over time if they are packaged in cargo containers instead of buried under dirt. Workers unearthed some of the drums from the pits and trenches. They moved the drums into 209 cargo containers and stored them above ground. The site hoped the experiment would shed light on the risks associated with waste retrieval from subsurface storage and the best approaches to safely retrieve and repackage buried waste.

   Since November 2014, workers with Idaho Treatment Group (ITG), the cleanup contractor that manages EM’s Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project, have been eagerly opening the large containers to survey their contents.

   “We were confident in the engineering and administrative controls we had in place to start our new retrieval campaign,” ITG Retrieval and Cargo Manager Scott Biorn said. “Our employees were careful but eager to see what was inside and to figure out the safest most expeditious way to get the waste out.”

   The workers have found some drums intact after more than four decades, while others decayed so much they disintegrated when touched.

   ITG hopes to finish emptying 55 of the containers in the site’s Transuranic Storage Area Retrieval Enclosure by October. A previous EM contractor unloaded 105 of the containers in 2009 and 2010.

   Similar to a railroad boxcar without wheels, a container measures 8 feet wide by 20 feet long by 8 feet tall. The drums inside the containers are 30-, 55- or 83-gallons in volume. For ease of handling, workers repackage the old drums in 85-gallon drums reused from a previous project, which saves taxpayer money. The repackaged waste is then characterized, treated, and shipped to an out-of-state facility for permanent disposal. The emptied cargo containers are then cleaned and decontaminated before they are permanently disposed of in the Idaho CERCLA Disposal Facility at the Idaho site.

Emptied, cleaned, and decontaminated cargo containers are shown in black covers, right, permanently disposed in the Idaho CERCLA Disposal Facility.

   “We trust in the processes and hazard controls that ITG has in place,” DOE-Idaho Retrieval Activity Manager Mary Willcox said. “It’s evident when overseeing the operations that there’s a high degree of communication and feedback among the crews and that they are prepared to use good judgment with step-backs and lessons learned for varying conditions and contingencies required to complete unloading the cargo container.” 

   Biorn said the crews identified several improvements to enhance the safety and efficiency of the retrieval process.

   “We firmly believe that with a balanced approach, where safety, compliance, and production are equal, performance follows,” he said.

Savannah River Site Workers Share Knowledge with Students in Engineering Teach-Ins

SRNS engineer Missy Byrne, center, works with middle school students at a teach-in at Davidson Fine Arts in Augusta, Ga.

AIKEN, S.C. – Employees of EM contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently held 90 science- and engineering-based demonstrations for more than 2,000 students in the region in recognition of National Engineers Week.

   More than 40 SRNS engineers, scientists, and technicians conducted the interactive demonstrations, known as “teach-ins,” at 19 middle schools over two weeks.

   At no cost to schools, the teach-ins have proven to be instrumental in promoting the importance of high-level math, science, and technology literacy. Funded by EM and managed by SRNS, the teach-ins feature experiments and presentations involving such things as flying objects, lasers, dry ice, and robotic creatures to captivate the students.

   Middle schools in five South Carolina counties, plus two Georgia counties near Augusta, Ga., have participated in this outreach program since 2008. More than 12,000 students have benefited.

   “An investment in today’s students is potentially an investment in tomorrow’s employees at SRS,” DOE Savannah River Operations Office Manager Dr. David Moody said.

   SRNS employee Missy Byrne has supported the outreach program for many years and is continually inspired by the youth.

   “I just can’t fully describe how rewarding it is to see the look on a child’s face when the light goes on and they suddenly understand a new and enlightening idea or concept. I may have more fun than the kids,” she said.

Melter Pours 10 Millionth Pound of Glass

A melter at the Defense Waste Processing Facility recently poured its 10 millionth pound of glass.

AIKEN, S.C. – The “heart” of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is pumping at a record pace.

   A melter installed in DWPF recently poured its 10 millionth pound of glass, filling a total of 2,589 canisters.

   DOE-Savannah River Waste Disposition Acting Assistant Manager Jim Folk said canister production is crucial in eliminating the site’s hazardous waste.

   “Since beginning operations, DWPF has poured more than 15 million pounds of glass and has immobilized more than 55 million curies of radioactivity,” Folk said. “Every canister poured means we are reducing the single most substantial environmental risk to people and the environment in the state of South Carolina.”

   A melter is a 65-ton, teapot-shaped vessel that treats high-level radioactive waste stored in SRS waste tanks. The waste is blended with a sand-like borosilicate glass, called frit, and is high-heated in the melter at about 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, which forms a molten glass mixture. The mixture is poured into stainless steel canisters, which are decontaminated on the outside of the canisters and stored on site until a permanent storage facility is identified.

   Although the melter is 12 years old and operating 10 years beyond its design life expectancy, it works safely and efficiently. The EM program at SRS has taken steps to ensure it maintains operations. For example, the program implemented measures to keep its pour spout from eroding and installed agitation bubblers that improve the heat distribution in its waste glass pool to achieve a better pour rate.

Progress Continues Toward Demolition of Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant

Employees cut a ventilation duct attached to the last glove box in the former processing portion of the facility. This work is performed in plastic enclosures to limit the spread of contamination.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Piece by piece, workers are safely and compliantly preparing to demolish a relic of Cold War plutonium production at the Hanford site.

   The Plutonium Finishing Plant was the final step in plutonium production at Hanford, where plutonium was processed into hockey-puck sized pieces called buttons for safe shipment to the country’s weapon production facilities.

   EM’s Richland Operations Office and contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M HILL) are cleaning out the heavily contaminated processing equipment and infrastructure inside the facility to prepare it for demolition.

   “Overall, the Plutonium Finishing Plant is about 75 percent ready for demolition,” said Federal Project Director Tom Teynor. “Continued safe and compliant progress at the Plutonium Finishing Plant moves us closer to our goal of removing a significant hazard from the Hanford site.”

Workers use a remote-operated crane and cameras to manipulate pencil tanks in the removal process.

   In November 2014, crews removed the last glove box from the ventilation system in the main processing portion of the facility. Glove boxes are large pieces of processing equipment that allowed employees to safely manipulate plutonium-bearing material in the production process. Some of the glove boxes span two stories.

   The ventilation system filtered contaminants in the glove boxes to keep workers safe. Removing a glove box and hood from ventilation is critical to ensuring the equipment is safe for dispositioning.

   In all, about 90 percent of the facility’s 238 glove boxes have been removed.

   In December 2014, crews began removing a glove box at the center of a well-known event in Hanford’s history. In 1976, an ion-exchange column for processing americium exploded inside the glove box, causing severe injuries to worker Harold McCluskey. He survived.

   Few entries to the room occurred since that incident. Now, workers are cleaning the room. For more information on the incident, and the special protective equipment workers are wearing while performing work there, click here.

A worker in a protective suit removes a portion of the glove box in the McCluskey Room. Mangled pipes from the 1976 explosion are visible.

   In addition to glove boxes, crews are removing long, pencil-shaped tanks once used to recycle scrap plutonium. Since October 2014, crews have dispositioned 31 of 196 sections of the tanks, meeting a Richland Operations Office’s Fiscal Year 2015 Key Performance Goal. The remaining sections are scheduled for removal by May.

   “We’ve made great progress recently, but more importantly, we’ve done so safely,” CH2M HILL Plutonium Finishing Plant Closure Project Vice President Mike Swartz said. “I look forward to making even more progress in the months ahead as we move closer to the goal of building demolition and removing this hazard from the Hanford site by the end of fiscal year 2016.”

Navarro Kicks Off New Environmental Programs Services Contract at Nevada National Security Site

A field technician downloads data from a groundwater characterization well located on Pahute Mesa in the northwestern portion of the NNSS.

LAS VEGAS – The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) this month kicked off a new environmental programs services contract with Navarro Research and Engineering.

   Under the purview of the Environmental Management Program at the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NFO), Navarro will tackle new responsibilities that were not part of its previous contract.

   “By expanding the scope of work for the new contract, the Nevada Field Office will benefit from strengthened checks and balances throughout the program which, in turn, will support the core of our commitments to stakeholders” said NFO Environmental Management Operations Manager and Contracting Officer Representative Rob Boehlecke. “We have every confidence that our selection of Navarro will translate into even greater success for the entire NNSS enterprise.”

   Navarro employees, many of who have worked at the NNSS for decades, gathered earlier this month as Navarro Program Manager Dave Taylor welcomed them to the new contract.

   “Each and every one of you was chosen to be here because of your past success and our faith in your future contributions to the environmental programs at the NNSS.”

   Dr. Susana Navarro, the company’s owner, echoed Taylor’s sentiment.

   “Our Navarro team is stronger because of you, and I am excited about the future of this new contract,” she said.

   Dr. Navarro also told the employees they are now part of the larger Navarro corporate team with missions at other DOE, Department of Defense, and NASA facilities across the U.S.  

   Under the new five-year contract, Navarro is responsible for environmental investigations, characterization, cleanup, and closure of NNSS sites and groundwater impacted by historic nuclear research, development and testing. The Navarro team is also tasked with surveillance and monitoring of those sites.

   In addition, the team is responsible for review and evaluation of low-level and mixed low-level waste streams proposed for disposal at the NNSS. Navarro also will continue the role of leading integration with other NFO contractors and laboratories involved with environmental management activities and conducting public involvement and community outreach.

New Website to Keep Portsmouth, Paducah Site Stakeholders Up to Date

A view of PPPO’s retooled website on a smartphone and laptop.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) has launched a new website to provide timely and accessible public information about EM’s cleanup efforts at the Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky gaseous diffusion plant sites.

   The new website may be accessed at www.energy.gov/pppo. 

   The new site represents a complete redesign of PPPO’s Internet presence, now located within DOE’s Energy.gov platform. Increased capabilities provided by this transition will translate into more news and resources for stakeholders, residents, and media. The goal is for visitors to have a modern Internet experience with easily searchable and relevant content.

   “As we move our gaseous diffusion plants further into decontamination and decommissioning, it’s increasingly important that our stakeholders and neighbors in Ohio and Kentucky have easy access to the latest and most useful information,” said PPPO Manager William E. Murphie. “This new website will help people stay current, involved, and informed about what we have accomplished and what challenges we face going forward.”

   PPPO’s retooled website provides background on all areas of PPPO’s services, as well as information about the cleanup at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites, news stories, contractor information, useful links and publications, and online signup for news and updates. The site is optimized for easy viewing on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.

   PPPO worked closely with EM External Affairs and DOE Public Affairs and Information Technology offices in migrating to the Energy.gov platform.

   Transitioning DOE office and field site websites to a single online platform is expected to help DOE avoid millions of dollars in costs annually, while improving and integrating the Department’s communications infrastructure.

   Visit http://energy.gov/pppo to learn more about PPPO.

Contributors

Dean Campbell, Savannah River Site

Rick Dale, Idaho site

Julie Doering, Fluor

Ellen Edge, EM headquarters

Destry Henderson, Hanford site

Dr. Leonel Lagos, Florida International University

Ginny Manning, Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office

Dona Merritt, Nevada National Security Site

Danielle Miller, Idaho site

Brad Mitzelfelt, Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office

David Sheeley, EM headquarters

Peggy Shoffner, Florida International University

DT Townsend, Savannah River Site

Ben Williams, Oak Ridge site