EM Update | Vol. 9, Issue 4 | Feb. 28, 2017

• Acting EM Assistant Secretary Cange Stresses Role of Local Communities in Cleanup
• EM Marks Another Building Demolition at Oak Ridge
• Plutonium Finishing Plant Crews Continue Progress Toward Demolition
• Road Shows Provide Opportunity for Public to Learn About WIPP Shipments
• Hanford Approaches End of Waste Burial Ground Work
• MCS Begins Operations of EM’s DUF6 Plants
• SRS Stacks Canisters to Expand Storage, Postpone New Facility
• Hanford Prepares for Soil Cleanup Near River
• Idaho Contractor Saves More Than $100,000 With DOE Training Institute
• Student Research Benefits EM Cleanup
• SRS Feeds ‘Bugs’ Oil to Chomp Away at Contamination
• EM Takes STEM Education on the Road
• SRS Mentoring Program Helps Retain New Engineers
• Hanford Workers Reduce Safety Risks Despite Harsh Winter
• Board Intern Aims to Inform Students of NNSS Programs, History
• IAEA Appoints EM Lab to Worldwide Network
• Contributors

Acting EM Assistant Secretary Cange Stresses Role of Local Communities in Cleanup

Acting EM Assistant Secretary Sue Cange discusses EM’s ongoing cleanup priorities at a meeting hosted by the Energy Communities Alliance in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 23. Roane County, Tenn. County Executive Ron Woody, right, introduced Cange.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Acting EM Assistant Secretary Sue Cange emphasized the role and value of local communities in the DOE cleanup mission in remarks to the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) on Feb. 23.

   “The local communities near our sites can be some of our most passionate and driven advocates that we have for our mission,” Cange said. “That’s because you understand the EM mission — why we do what we do — because your communities have been home to our nation’s defense nuclear weapons production programs and government-sponsored nuclear energy research in some cases for over 70 years.”

   “You understand the extraordinary value of our site workers because your communities are where they live and where their children go to school,” Cange told representatives from local communities near a variety of EM sites. “You understand that cleanup not only reduces risks, but also drives significant jobs and positive opportunities because you witness it in your hometowns every day.”

   Cange highlighted how EM’s partnerships with local communities and other stakeholders helped achieve success across the DOE cleanup program in 2016, including completing the demolition of the former uranium enrichment process buildings at Oak Ridge’s East Tennessee Technology Park. 

   “When I was the field manager at Oak Ridge, we were successful because of strong partnerships across the board — with the Oak Ridge community, as well as our elected officials and other important advocacy groups. In addition, we had meaningful partnerships with our contractors and our regulators. The importance of growing strong partnerships is a principle that I’ve brought with me to Washington, D.C.,” she said.

   “EM is committed to partnering with communities and other stakeholders on aggressive, achievable cleanup plans that recognize both the difficult technical challenges and budget realities, while making substantial progress on shared goals,” Cange said, including the planned completion of demolition of the Hanford Site’s Plutonium Finishing Plant to slab-on-grade; continued commissioning and startup activities at the Savannah River Site’s Salt Waste Processing Facility; and deactivation and decommissioning activities at the West Valley Demonstration Project.

   “Cleanup progress translates to safer, cleaner sites and new opportunities in communities like yours,” Cange told ECA representatives. “I know that you are counting on the entire EM team, and I want to assure you that we are committed to our mission and are working hard to be ready to face the next slate of challenges.”

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EM Marks Another Building Demolition at Oak Ridge

Building K-731 as demolition began.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) is advancing toward Vision 2020 — its goal to complete cleanup at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) by 2020 and continue transferring the remaining land to private industry, benefiting the regional economy.

   The latest progress comes with removal of Building K-731. OREM and cleanup contractor URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) began demolishing it on Aug. 30, moments after taking down the final pieces of Building K-27 and fulfilling Vision 2016. That was Oak Ridge’s ambitious goal to be the world’s first to successfully remove all of its former uranium enrichment facilities by the end of 2016.  

   “I’m very proud of the focus and effort shown by our employees and UCOR to maintain the outstanding cleanup momentum happening at ETTP,” said OREM Acting Manager Jay Mullis. “K-731’s removal noticeably changes the landscape at the site, and its completion moves us closer toward our ultimate goal of a clean, transferred ETTP.”   

Workers size reduce and transport debris from Building K-731’s demolition. 

   Constructed in 1944, Building K-731 powered the K-27 and K-29 process buildings. The facility contained three floors measuring 31,350 square feet each, including two above-ground floors and a basement.

   OREM has already demolished hundreds of ETTP facilities as it transforms the site into a private-sector industrial park. 

   The office has transferred 880 acres of the 2,200-acre site to private entities to date. 

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Plutonium Finishing Plant Crews Continue Progress Toward Demolition

Demolition of the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (green) and the Americium Recovery Facility (red) is underway. Demolition of the main processing facility (blue), ventilation stack and fan house (orange) will begin in May.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Workers continue to transform the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) landscape as they tear down two of its four main facilities. 

   While the Hanford Site experienced near-record snow, ice and below-freezing weather, EM Richland Operations Office contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) redeployed demolition crews inside the remaining two buildings to remove hazards and prepare for demolition.

   “We reacted in a safe, timely manner throughout this rough winter,” said Tom Teynor, EM PFP project director. “The crews, work planners and PFP management did a great job being flexible and allowing risk-reduction progress to continue inside, despite what was happening outside.”

   Crews have removed about 82 percent of more than 7,100 feet of contaminated process piping, about 80 percent of asbestos and about 69 percent of contaminated ventilation ductwork in the main processing facility and fan house. Demolition on those facilities is expected to start in May. 

   The team lost about 25 days of demolition due to late starts, early releases and site closures in the cold, snowy weather. Dust suppression equipment using water was at risk of freezing, and the hoods demolition employees wear to protect against contamination fogged up in the cold weather, putting employees at greater risk of falling on icy surfaces. 

   With the deep freeze thawing, demolition will advance on the Americium Recovery and Plutonium Reclamation facilities (PRF). Demolition on those buildings is expected to be complete in March and May, respectively. 

This December 2016 photo shows the start of demolition of the Americium Recovery Facility.

This February 2017 image shows the outside walls of the Plutonium Reclamation Facility demolished, exposing a glove box on the outside wall of its canyon. The orange paint on the glove box indicates where crews are to cut and separate sections to aid in removal and to meet demolition requirements. 

   CH2M implemented a robust monitoring and site-control system for demolition. This strategy worked, as demonstrated when a continuous air monitor (CAM) sounded near the demolition zone in late January. 

   “Our controls were effective during demolition of PRF. It wasn’t until we moved the rubble pile that the CAM alarm sounded,” said Tom Bratvold, CH2M vice president for PFP. 

   No employees were hurt, and no contamination left restricted areas. Following the incident, the PFP team conducted a critique and adopted more robust dust-control measures for debris pile relocation.

   “This is challenging and hazardous work,” said Hans Showalter, PFP worker safety representative for Hanford Atomic Metals Trades Council employees. “We’re committed to performing the work safely, finishing PRF, the Americium Recovery Facility and moving onto the rest of PFP.”

Aerial views of the Plutonium Finishing Plant show footprint reduction from 2010 (top) to December 2016, when snow covered the demolition zone (middle). A closer aerial photo from December 2016 shows demolition of the Plutonium Reclamation Facility in progress (bottom).

   In coming weeks, crews will shut off power to the main facility and switch to temporary power, making it more efficient for crews to remove walls and ceilings for asbestos removal. 

   Outside, hazard mitigation, site control and extensive monitoring continue as crews demolish the main processing facility in a zone-by-zone sequence to ensure structural stability throughout teardown. Demolition will progress concurrently through the main facility, fan house and ventilation stack.

   PFP demolition is expected to be complete by September 2017.

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Road Shows Provide Opportunity for Public to Learn About WIPP Shipments

Bobby St. John of Nuclear Waste Partnership, the management and operations contractor for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site, briefs local law enforcement and fire service employees on the features of the TRUPACT II container used to move contact handled transuranic waste to the site.

CARLSBAD, N.M. – The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) transportation program will travel WIPP transportation corridors to support state-sponsored road shows to give the public an opportunity to learn about shipping waste packages to the facility.

   The road shows come as EM’s Carlsbad Field Office prepares to resume transuranic waste shipments to WIPP for the first time since February 2014. That’s when the facility’s operations were halted following an underground fire and unrelated breach of a waste drum in an underground disposal panel. Shipments to WIPP are scheduled to resume in April.

   The road show will make stops along the program’s active shipping routes in New Mexico, Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado.

   Attendees can view an actual TRUPACT-II shipping package and learn about the project, transportation protocols and shipping procedures in presentations and discussions with WIPP subject-matter experts. Additional information on the WIPP transportation program is available here.

   EM reopened WIPP earlier this year, marking the end of recovery operations and resumption of waste emplacement activities.

   WIPP contract carriers have safely transported more than 11,800 shipments to the facility, totaling more than 14 million miles.

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Hanford Approaches End of Waste Burial Ground Work

Workers recently completed remediation of 80 vertical pipe units after augering waste using equipment shown here.

RICHLAND, Wash. – Workers are nearing completion of work at the 618-10 Burial Ground, where they removed waste from 80 vertical pipe units (VPUs). 

   Constructed from corrugated pipes or stacked drum casings, the VPUs received radioactive laboratory waste from the 300 Area from 1954 through 1963. Workers buried them vertically approximately 20 feet below ground.

   “Through extensive mockup testing that involved the use of simulated waste and other innovative tools, the work went very smoothly. It went better than anyone imagined it would,” said Mark French, EM federal project director for the River Corridor. 

   Workers reduced design time and fabrication costs using commercially available equipment in the retrieval design, including a drill rig, excavators and cranes. Other unique fabrications included modified augers, an enclosure to filter potentially contaminated air, and a water supply system to regulate dust suppression. 

   Workers drove a steel case around each VPU and used an auger to grind the waste and soil within the case. They used a clamshell shovel that was lowered to retrieve the waste and soil mixture and deposit it into a steel box, where it was mixed with grout. 

   “Developing a safe, effective and fully-compliant system for properly removing and disposing the VPUs required thorough planning and communication,” said Mark Buckmaster, CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) project manager for 618-10 VPU remediation.

   The waste was packaged and transported to the onsite landfill — the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) — for disposal. Workers spent more than 125,000 hours safely and compliantly completing this task. The ERDF team disposed of more than 2,000 tons of waste from the VPUs.

Radiological controls are imperative for worker safety. 

   “We have made remarkable progress thanks to a team committed to working safely and efficiently,” said Tammy Hobbes, CH2M 618-10 vice president. “In coordination with the Department of Energy and our regulator, the Environmental Protection Agency, the workforce remains instrumental in accomplishing our mission of reducing the environmental risks across the Hanford Site. 

   Workers are remediating 14 additional VPUs that are thick-walled steel pipes, requiring different technology. They are being processed in small sections by shearing them under a liquid grout and mixing the contents. Workers continue remediating the waste trenches, having removed more than 2,200 drums to date, some of which are concrete-lined and contain extremely radioactive items.

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MCS Begins Operations of EM’s DUF6 Plants

Mid-America Conversion Services assumed operations of EM’s DUF6 conversion facilities in Paducah, Ky. (shown above) and Portsmouth, Ohio on Feb. 1.

   There’s a new management team at EM's two depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion facilities, with Mid-America Conversion Services (MCS) now in place as the facilities’ operating contractor.

   Last September, EM selected MCS to operate the facilities at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Ky., and the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The facilities are intended to convert approximately 800,000 metric tons of stored DUF6 inventory at the two sites into depleted uranium oxide, a more stable chemical form that can be reused, stored or disposed. Constructed in the early 2000s, the plants were most recently operated by BWXT Conversion Services. MCS began full-scale operations Feb. 1 after a 90-day transition period.  

   “MCS appreciates the collaborative spirit exhibited by BWXT to help make this transition successful.” MCS President and Project Manager Alan Parker said. “We will work closely with the Department of Energy, employees, United Steel Workers Locals 550 and 689, stakeholders and site contractors to meet DOE's objectives safely, efficiently and compliantly.” 

   Led by Atkins, the MCS team includes Westinghouse Electric Company and Fluor Federal Services. Atkins brings program management, nuclear and chemical operations and commercial waste processing expertise. Westinghouse Electric Company has experience in conversion operations. Fluor Federal Services provides integration into the Paducah and Portsmouth sites. 

   “The MCS team brings experience, knowledge and a solid approach to the operations of our DUF6 plants. We look forward to working with them to accomplish the goals of the DUF6 project,” EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Manager Robert Edwards said. 

   The MCS team is led by a familiar face in the EM project management world, Alan Parker of Atkins. In his 35-year career, Parker has worked on 10 major DOE projects, including lessons learned related to commissioning and operations activities at Portsmouth and Paducah.

   Former PPPO contractor Bob Giroir serves as the Portsmouth plant manager and brings expertise in nuclear waste management, chemical plant operations and facility surveillance and maintenance at EM and UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority sites. Giroir held leadership roles at Hanford, Fernald, Paducah, Oak Ridge, Savannah River, Portsmouth and Magnox (UK) facilities. His understanding of the Portsmouth and Paducah site missions and infrastructure, and his relationships with EM site management, PPPO, regulators and stakeholders provides continuity of operations for DUF6.

   Phillip Weaver of Westinghouse serves as the Paducah plant manager. He has 28 years of chemical and nuclear fuel fabrication operations experience applying Westinghouse’s continuous improvement tools to enhance nuclear fuel reconversion operations at commercial plants. He began his career as a production operator at a nuclear fuel fabrication plant in Missouri, ultimately advancing to the role of production manager, leading a 120-person union-represented organization. 

   Rounding out the senior management team is Chief Administrative Officer Sharon Shirley, Implementation Tech Officer Todd Butz, and Chief Engineer Fred Jackson. 

   The MCS team believes the combined experience of the three partners will lead to success at the DUF6 plants.

   “MCS is committed to improving safety, strengthening conduct of operations, enhancing maintenance, and increasing production by applying our safe flow technique, which is the application of safety, quality and production through our integrated production system. Success is measured by achieving green status in all three areas, indicating conditions are positive,” Parker said. 

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SRS Stacks Canisters to Expand Storage, Postpone New Facility

EM liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation developed a specialized cutting tool to cut the cross bar and removed the riser in the concrete reinforced vaults where the canisters are temporarily stored. Removing the riser at the bottom of the vault allows the canister to be lowered and another canister to fit on top.

AIKEN, S.C. – The EM program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently finished double-stacking 100 canisters to increase onsite interim storage of glassified high-level waste.

   Workers piled the canisters, one on top of the other, in 50 modified positions in the Glass Waste Storage Building 1 (GWSB1) at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) in a project that began in August 2016. 

   They relocated existing canisters from GWSB1 to GWSB2 in fall 2015 to modify storage positions. Workers double-stacked relocated canisters plus newly poured ones.

   Jim Folk, DOE-Savannah River Assistant Manager for Waste Disposition, said the project is a win for SRS.

   “This innovative initiative is a game-changer in terms of interim storage space at SRS,” said Folk. 

   The project increased storage capacity in GWSB 1 from 2,254 to 4,508 slots, allowing EM to postpone the expense of building another storage facility.

   Approximately 200 canisters were removed from GWSB 1 to modify storage positions to accommodate two of the 10-foot-tall, 5,000-pound canisters. 

   The original storage positions hold one canister and have a 4-foot-thick concrete shield plug used to seal the opening at the top of each canister’s slot. To modify the 21-foot-deep slots, employees developed a remote cutting tool to remove the existing canister support crossbar.

   After the modifications, the concrete shield plug is replaced by a thinner, galvanized cast iron shield plug, which will provide equivalent radiation shielding and structural support. In addition to the shield plugs, galvanized carbon steel support plates will be placed on the vault floor.

   More than 300 canister support crossbars have been removed from the 2,254 slots, and 150 of them are ready to be double stacked. The project will continue to modify canister positions for up to eight years, as needed.

   Waste from SRS underground tanks is received at DWPF, mixed with a borosilicate glass and heated to create a molten glass, which hardens when poured inside a stainless steel canister. The canister is temporarily sealed, the exterior is decontaminated and a weld seals it prior to transport. The canisters are transported and stacked using the shielded canister transporter, a specially designed vehicle for transporting a single canister to the storage building.

   The canisters are destined for a future federal repository, but pose no technical or radiological issues staying at SRS in this interim double-stack storage arrangement, according to engineering studies.

   Tom Foster, president and project manager of SRS liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation (SRR), said the canister double-stack project has been integral to keep canister production on track.

   “Like all of the SRR innovations that have come to fruition, the canister double-stack project began as an idea and now we are seeing a milestone reached,” Foster said. “Congratulations to the team members in DWPF who have dedicated themselves to seeing this project succeed.”

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Hanford Prepares for Soil Cleanup Near River

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Richland Operations Office (RL) is making strides toward mitigating highly radioactive soil underneath the 324 Building near the Columbia River.

   EM and cleanup contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) are building a mockup structure to replicate the B Cell, a hot cell area in the building under which the contaminated soil is located. View this video of the project.

Workers expect to enter the area in March or April, marking the first entry to the airlock leading to the cells since 2013.

   “Initiating the procurement process for the three main systems to be used to remove soil from within the 324 building — to be installed in the mockup later this year for testing — represents an important step forward,” said Mark French, EM’s project director for the 324 Building.

Employees prepare a test bed (left) on which they will test a mockup saw (below) for use inside the 324 Building’s B cell.

   Vendors will fabricate and install remote excavator arms (REA) to remove debris, the hot cell floor and soil; cameras and lights to aid operators; and a transfer mechanism to load the debris and soil from the cell. 

   “Placing the REA system into the mockup will be pretty exciting,” said Forrest Blackburn, CH2M design authority for the REA system. “It will allow us to make sure the way we designed the equipment aligns with our intended use inside the 324 Building, which is critically important to ensure the success of this project.”  

   At another location, crews are constructing a reinforced concrete pad to replicate the floor of B Cell. Workers recently built a mockup of a large, remote-operated saw to cut through the stainless steel-lined and concrete B Cell floor. The REA will remove the floor. 

   “This is an exciting time for the project,” said Bill Kirby, CH2M vice president of the 324 Building Disposition Project. “The mockups bring the strategy to life, allowing employees to really become familiar with the equipment and strategy, which will improve their safety and reduce project risk, because we can do this work in a non-contaminated environment.”

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Idaho Contractor Saves More Than $100,000 With DOE Training Institute

Students, including engineers and electricians, attending a DOE Training Institute battery safety training at Idaho National Laboratory create “batteries” using fruits and vegetables and dissimilar metals.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Fluor Idaho, EM’s Idaho Cleanup Project contractor, expects to save more than $100,000 in tuition, contract development and procurement costs by using the DOE Training Institute's (DTI) electrical safety training. 

   DTI is a unique partnership between the National Training Center and the Volpentest Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Federal Training Center. The institute offers health and safety training to EM federal and contractor employees. HAMMER, which is managed by Hanford Site contractor Mission Support Alliance, provides training to Hanford workers, emergency responders and homeland security personnel.    

   “DTI is the solution to a variety of training issues. The most important benefit of using DTI is improved worker safety through DOE mission-focused training,” said Ashley Morris, DOE senior advisor for HAMMER and DTI.

   DTI-certified instructors led four courses for 86 Fluor Idaho employees between November and January. The training was essential for personnel to maintain state electrical licenses.

   “DTI’s instructors have made a difference in both the efficiency and effectiveness for this specialized training,” Fluor Idaho Training Manager Dave Lent said. “From our Fluor Idaho experience, DTI instructors have the potential to be a significant benefit to other contractors.”

   After its positive experience with DTI’s mobile training capabilities, Fluor Idaho plans to have the team return in April. 

   Additional information regarding DTI can be found here.

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Student Research Benefits EM Cleanup

FIU student and DOE Fellow Hansell Gonzalez Raymat performs laboratory research during a summer internship at EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory.

MIAMI – As a DOE Fellow, Hansell Gonzalez Raymat works with mentors on research to develop solutions to remediate radioactively contaminated soil and groundwater at the Savannah River Site (SRS). 

   The work benefits EM’s cleanup and Raymat’s academic career. The graduate student at Florida International University (FIU) incorporates his EM research into a dissertation required for a doctorate degree focusing on environmental chemistry research. 

   “The mentorship that I received at FIU and the Savannah River Site has helped me to succeed so far in the Ph.D. program,” said Raymat, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from FIU in 2012. “In addition, I think that DOE-EM benefits from my research because it is through my research that I am addressing current environmental cleanup problem-sets at the DOE sites.”

   Raymat helps address EM’s environmental remediation challenges through his research in the DOE-FIU Science and Technology Workforce Development Program at FIU’s Applied Research Center (ARC).

   EM Update recently highlighted the role of three other DOE Fellows from ARC in helping EM determine the disposition of an SRS watershed’s contaminated areas. Those fellows joined their professor to collect samples and data last year for surface water and sediment transport modeling research. They’re returning to SRS this summer for additional research.

   Raymat gained firsthand experience of SRS research and an appreciation for EM’s cleanup. He came up with his dissertation idea in the first of two internships at EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory as he studied the influence of humic substances (organic soil components) on uranium migration. Raymat’s research centers on an innovative remediation technique using a low-cost unrefined humic substance known as Huma-K to help remove uranium from groundwater. EM is responsible for cleanup of several large groundwater contamination plumes containing uranium and other radionuclides across the DOE complex, so finding efficient, low-cost remedies is a high priority.

   In his second internship, Raymat expanded his research to look at Huma-K’s interaction with other heavy metals. The impact of his research could extend beyond EM to address groundwater contamination due to mining, battery recycling plants and other operations.

Raymat, left, with his summer internship mentor, Dr. Miles Denham, at EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory.

   Dr. Miles Denham mentored Raymat during his SRS internships, and even participated in his Ph.D. dissertation committee. 

   “Hansell brings such enthusiasm and insight to his research that it has been a pleasure mentoring him for his internships and serving on his dissertation committee,” Denham said. “He is a fine exemplar of the DOE Fellows program.”

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SRS Feeds ‘Bugs’ Oil to Chomp Away at Contamination

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions engineering and technical support specialist Keith Hyde measures the flow of vegetable oil during an injection process. The oil encourages growth of the underground population of naturally occurring, chemical-eating bacteria at the Savannah River Site.

AIKEN, S.C. – EM is using vegetable oil as a low-cost remediation approach to accelerate chemically-contaminated groundwater cleanup at the Savannah River Site (SRS).

   “We’ve been extremely pleased with the results to date, and others have noted the success of the project as well,” said Chris Bergren, an environmental stewardship manager at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the SRS management and operations contractor.

   Workers inject highly concentrated amounts of vegetable oil into the ground, where it mixes with naturally occurring bacteria and the contamination. Unable to differentiate between the oil and the oil-coated chemicals, the voracious bacteria rapidly eat both and deplete the soil’s oxygen. The rate of cleanup increases with time because the treatment spurs bacteria growth.

   The chemicals were part of organic solvents, like those used at dry cleaning shops. They were used for cleaning purposes for Cold War operations at several SRS nuclear facilities, most of which have since closed. The solvents leached into the soil from buildings that have been demolished and replaced by green fields. 

   “We like to call the vegetable-oil-eating bacteria bugs,” Bergren said. “When fed thousands of gallons of inexpensive vegetable oil, the bugs will destroy large quantities of organic solvents fairly quickly.”

   This approach has led to cost savings over the previously used “pump-and-treat” technology involving highly mechanized air strippers, Bergren said. The system extracted sub-surface water and treated it in an above-ground system, stripping the hazardous chemicals by blowing air through the water.

   “Though the method was effective, it cost about $1 million dollars a year to operate, plus the unit had to be shut down and rebuilt about three times over the course of its lifetime,” said Bergren. “Our modelling indicated it would require 30 years to complete the cleanup process using this technology for a total cost of at least $30 million dollars.”

   Recent testing after injecting vegetable oil down multiple wells at the project site indicate the area is now approximately 98 percent free of organic solvents.

   “Our desire is to avoid electrical power and move towards more natural, passive methods during environmental cleanup work,” DOE-Savannah River Infrastructure and Environmental Stewardship Deputy Assistant Manager Angelia Holmes said. 

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EM Takes STEM Education on the Road

Elizabeth Wyatt, mechanical engineer and senior technical advisor for Fluor Paducah Deactivation Project, helps Ballard County Middle School students understand groundwater and water sampling.

PADUCAH, Ky. – Thanks to groundwater experts with EM’s Paducah Site deactivation and remediation contractor, local middle school students enjoy an interactive learning experience where they explore a groundwater model to learn about the water cycle, water quantity and contaminants.

   The students from Ballard County, Heath, Lone Oak, Paducah and Reidland middle schools test the water using laboratory equipment. They also discuss career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields with Fluor Paducah Deactivation Project engineers.

   EM has long recognized STEM as cornerstones to developing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This recognition drives the Paducah Site and its contractors’ partnership with the schools to help prepare students for STEM professions. 

   “Our federal personnel and contractors enjoy providing interactive learning experiences that ignite students’ interest in scientific and technical fields and the activities occurring at the Paducah Site,” said Jennifer Woodard, Paducah Site Lead for EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO).  

   “The students enjoyed having an engineer interacting with the groundwater models,” said Brandy Roberts, Heath Middle School 6th grade teacher. “I really appreciate DOE’s partnership with our school and the DOE personnel and contractors who take the time to work with our students.”

   Roberts coached Heath’s first-place winning team at DOE’s West Kentucky Regional Science Bowl for middle schools on Feb. 3. Along with the high school competition held Feb. 17, the science bowl regionals are DOE’s most visible educational outreach at Paducah.

   Heath, along with the winning high school team from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, advanced to the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C. April 27 through May 1.

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SRS Mentoring Program Helps Retain New Engineers

New Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Engineer Jordan Weininger and mentor Jean Plummer, a Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Research & Development Fellow Engineer, review results of the SRNL-developed GrayQb radiation detection and mapping device for examining nuclear facilities to support EM's cleanup.

AIKEN, S.C. – New Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) engineers supporting EM cleanup at the Savannah River Site (SRS) participate in the six-month Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP) to ease the transition from college to career.

   “We at SRNS have a genuine interest in making sure our new engineers are ready, in all respects, for their first full-time engineering position,” SRNS ELDP Manager David Bugg said. “It’s in the best interest of all involved. We want to heavily invest in each new hire, with the desire to keep them for the full length of their career.”

   The management and operations contractor’s program integrates technical engineering and operational training with work projects in facilities and processes across the site. The new hires work one on one with experienced engineers who act as mentors as they transfer knowledge to the new employees.

   EM's Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) gave new hire Jordan Weininger a four-month assignment. Working with engineer and mentor Jean Plummer, Weininger became interested in the laboratory’s research and development program.

   “It was a highly interesting research and development project that required skills in design engineering,” Bugg said.

   Weininger was integral to the team, according to Plummer. He later accepted an offer to work in the laboratory’s research and development program.

   “Initially, we had several needs that were perfect for the pool of ELDP engineers,” Plummer said. “Without their help, the unfunded projects they took on may have taken years to complete.”

   A recent graduate of Clemson University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Weininger said ELDP offers a unique experience to graduates.

   “In this program, experienced members of the SRNS team take the time to guide us through a variety of tasks, work environments and training courses that prepare us for successful placement on site. It certainly worked for me,” he said.

   The SRNS engineering division invests most of its recruiting resources in regional colleges and universities. This strategy supports the schools’ academic engineering programs and produces candidates for SRS with local ties, helping increase employee satisfaction and retention.

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Hanford Workers Reduce Safety Risks Despite Harsh Winter

RICHLAND, Wash. – Employees are making significant progress reducing risk despite one of the worst winters in Hanford Site history.

   They dealt with below-freezing temperatures, more than 20 inches of snow and bouts of freezing rain between December 2016 and February 2017, leading to three days of site closures, seven delayed starts and four early releases, impacting the cleanup schedule.

Snow covers the demolition area at the Plutonium Finishing Plant.

   They dealt with below-freezing temperatures, more than 20 inches of snow and bouts of freezing rain between December 2016 and February 2017. This led to three days of site closures, seven delayed starts and four early releases, impacting the cleanup schedule.

   “This winter will long be remembered for how challenging it was, and continues to be,” said Ty Blackford, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) president and chief executive officer. “Because of the resilience and flexibility of our employees, we still made progress reducing risk on the Hanford Site.” 

   At the Plutonium Finishing Plant, demolition on the Plutonium Reclamation and Americium Recovery facilities could not safely occur in the cold weather. EM redeployed demolition crews to remove asbestos and contaminated ventilation ducting — necessary to reduce hazards in the main facility before demolition. Dust suppression equipment that used water was at risk of freezing, and the hoods demolition employees wear to protect against contamination fogged up in the cold weather, putting them at greater risk of falling on icy surfaces. The project lost about 25 days due to weather and may add a second shift to maintain its schedule. 

   In groundwater remediation efforts, the temperatures sometimes meant an around-the-clock response to keep the groundwater treatment facilities’ equipment unfrozen. Some transfer lines used to treat contaminated water froze, but workers alleviated the issue by thawing some of them. Some pipes remain frozen, but crews are working on alternatives.

Workers perform maintenance at the 200 West Pump and Treat Facility.

   Dense snow postponed some sampling and drilling operations. Information from those operations is used for documentation to help determine future cleanup; as a result the documentation is delayed. Workers are on additional shifts and prioritizing work to safely make up for lost time. 

   The winter stopped equipment destined for Hanford in its tracks. However, the 324 Building Disposition Project made progress in a mockup facility, where crews fabricated a test saw to cut a concrete pad designed to replicate the floor of the building’s B Cell. Contaminated soil is underneath the cell. 

   When snow sidetracked crews at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF), the site’s regulated landfill, employees removed snow to continue waste disposal operations.

Mobile office installation at the 324 Building Disposition Project.

A truck hauling waste container at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility.

   The weather also prevented 618-10 Burial Ground crews from performing intrusive work, like remediating vertical pipe units filled with highly contaminated waste, or processing waste drums in grout. When those tasks could not be done, crews removed snow, supported accelerated shipments of waste drums off-site, and performed housekeeping and maintenance. 

Road maintenance at the 618-10 Burial Ground.

   “The snow and ice created a lot of challenges, most importantly keeping our project safe and ensuring the roads around ERDF remained clear,” said David Duranceau, ERDF disposal operations manager. “Our hard work in the harsh weather required determination from our workers to ensure all access points and walkways remained safe. I’m proud to be part of such a dedicated team.”

   Snowy, icy roadways curtailed shipments of waste across the site. More than 40 waste shipments were cancelled due to road conditions. The weather impacted shipments of waste between PFP, the Central Waste Complex and Permafix Northwest, where waste is treated before being returned to the Central Waste Complex. 

Aerial view of the Central Waste Complex in the snow.

   Winter contingency plans and recovery efforts are underway to combat the winter. Employees work overtime to catch up, realigning schedules and looking for efficiencies to ensure advancement of safe, cost-effective risk reduction.

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Board Intern Aims to Inform Students of NNSS Programs, History

Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board Intern Anthony Graham (far left) addresses the board during a meeting in January.

LAS VEGAS – Anthony Graham has served as an intern for the Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB) since late 2016. The NSSAB tasked him with communicating the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) programs and history to students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

   Graham, a Ph.D. candidate in history at UNLV, must log 120 hours of onsite work with the NSSAB under his one-year internship. He must accomplish several projects, including research and a semi-monthly informational digital bulletin.

   Graham attends NSSAB meetings, where he provides insight from the university and youth in Las Vegas. He will present on the NNSAB to the UNLV student body.

   EM conducts soil and groundwater cleanup and other work on the NNSS. The NSSAB is comprised of volunteers who represent Nevada stakeholders and provides independent advice, information, and recommendations on EM’s activities at the NNSS. 

   We recently spoke with Graham to learn more about his internship.

Where are you from? What brought you to Las Vegas?

I’m from Pacifica, California, a small coastal city near San Francisco. 

After receiving a Master of Arts degree from California State University, East Bay, I began looking into doctorate programs across the country. UNLV’s history program interested me because of its professors’ focus on the American West, technology, and the environment. The history program also looks beyond academic history and into the world of public history, including museum work, community outreach, and historic preservation. UNLV’s history program was a perfect fit for me.

What drew you to working with the NSSAB?

I first heard of the NSSAB from my advisor, Dr. Andrew Kirk. I had been researching public memory and commemoration of atomic testing in southern Nevada, which drew me into studying the NNSS. My interest grew through attending public tours and seeking out locations in Las Vegas with connections to historic nuclear testing. When I heard about the NSSAB it seemed like a natural fit, as it combined environmental concerns, historic preservation and community outreach.

Tell us about your thesis. How does this internship relate to your studies?

My thesis focuses on the environmental history of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts in the 20th century and how changing technology shapes both our perceptions of the land and how we interact with it in our daily lives.   

This internship deals directly with environmental conditions that are the product of land use in the desert. The NSSAB provides input from the community on how best to monitor and clean up the NNSS, which gives us insight on how environmental perceptions have changed since historic nuclear testing took place.

How do you plan to get university students more involved with the NSSAB?

There are two main challenges to getting university students more involved with the NSSAB. The first factor is the knowledge gap; many do not know about the NSSAB, and many of our students do not know about the NNSS or the functions that it serves. Also, much of what they do know about the NNSS comes from Hollywood films. Getting the facts straight can be a long process. 

The second challenge is to give them the confidence to participate with the NSSAB. The thought of cleaning up after historic nuclear testing can seem like a daunting process, and students tend to be afraid to take risks for fear of looking uninformed. My goal is to inform students about the NSSAB and how it works, so they understand that they can be a valuable part of the process. The newsletter is the first step in reaching out; I will also be visiting classes in different departments to build interest in the program.

What was it like touring the NNSS? What was your favorite part?

The NNSS is a unique and special place. It is one part science museum, one part wilderness preserve, yet also still very active with the various missions of the Department of Energy. The experience of going to the location in which hundreds of nuclear devices were tested can be both awe-inspiring and other worldly, such as in the case of the Sedan Crater. The remaining structures from nuclear testing delighted the history nerd in me as I quickly recognized the Apple II houses, News Nob, and the bunkers and bank vault at the Priscilla site. Entering Icecap felt like stepping into 1992 and served as a wonderful museum piece.  

To me the ultimate highlight of any trip to the NNSS is seeing how life has continued to endure and thrive. I have been on three tours and each time we have encountered a herd of antelope at some point. Though environmental damage that resulted from nuclear testing can be seen, for the most part the NNSS is thriving and provides an uplifting image for the future.

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IAEA Appoints EM Lab to Worldwide Network

Savannah River National Laboratory’s Samuel A. Bagby Jr. inserts samples in a mass spectrometer carousel.

AIKEN, S.C. – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has named Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) a member of its worldwide Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL) for nuclear material measurements.

   The lab performed strongly on proficiency exercises in 2015 and 2016, and received a favorable assessment during a visit by IAEA in August 2016. SRNL, at the Savannah River Site, is the national laboratory for EM and its sites across the DOE Complex. 

   SRNL will make collaborative measurements on test samples and reference materials supplied by the IAEA Nuclear Material Laboratory. SRNL can also receive official IAEA inspection and evaluation samples in the event of an outage at the Nuclear Material Laboratory or during peak periods when sample submissions exceed the throughput capabilities of that laboratory.

   “Acceptance into the highly selective IAEA NWAL further demonstrates that the staff members at SRNL’s laboratory in F Area are committed to quality. We have positioned the laboratory as a provider of analytical services capable of meeting stringent international standards,” SRNL Analytical Laboratories Director Curtis Gardner said. “Not only will this be a benefit to the U. S. Department of State’s Mission Office in supporting the functions of the IAEA, it is also a benefit to our other customers since it demonstrates quality in services. It puts SRNL in a strong position to attract additional external business.”

   IAEA evaluators supplied test materials for proficiency exercises to assess SRNL’s capabilities for measuring the isotopes of uranium and plutonium using mass spectrometry and alpha spectroscopy. The head of IAEA’s Nuclear Materials Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria, came to SRNL to assess the lab’s quality assurance and measurement control programs. 

   SRNL measurements consistently exceeded stringent performance standards published by IAEA in its 2010 report on international target values. These values are endorsed by DOE, IAEA, and the European Safeguards Research and Development Association as indicators that a nuclear material laboratory’s performance meets the quality expectation for international safeguards measurements.   

   The IAEA assessment determined that SRNL implemented an effective quality assurance program, and that measurement control practices met IAEA standards for performing safeguards measurements in support of the agency’s programs.  

   SRNL has supported SRS operations for more than 60 years, providing high-quality analytical and radiometric measurement results. Since the mid-1950s, the laboratory has provided an array of scientific and technical services and expertise to support site missions. SRNL performs a range of analyses on radiological and non-radiological samples for process control, product quality, nuclear material accountability and nuclear criticality safety. It maintains certifications and qualifications through a variety of governing bodies.

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Contributors

Lori Araujo, Hanford Site

Maddie Blair, Savannah River Site

Steve Christmas, Paducah Site

Jennifer Copeland, Hanford Site

John DeGregory, EM Headquarters 

Destry Henderson, Hanford Site

Kaylyssa Hughes, Nevada National Security Site

Dr. Yelena Katsenovich, Florida International University  

Lindsey MonBarren, Savannah River Site

Michael Nartker, EM Headquarters

Hansell Gonzalez Raymat, Florida International University 

David Sheeley, EM Headquarters

DT Townsend, Savannah River Site

Leslie Trevethan, EM Headquarters

Barbara K. Ulmer, Nevada National Security Site

Ben Williams, Oak Ridge Site

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