Removal of Portals Another Step in Progress at Oak Ridge East Tennessee Technology Park; Hanford WTP Turns Over Analytical Laboratory to Startup Phase at Hanford; and much more!

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EM Update \| Vol. 11, Issue 4 \| Jan. 29, 2019

Removal of Portals Another Step in Progress at Oak Ridge ETTP Hanford WTP Turns Over Analytical Laboratory to Startup Phase Savannah River Remediation Earns $12.5 Million Fee From January-May 2018 Remediated Hanford Waste Site Returning to Nature SRS M&O Contractor Earns 92 Percent of Available Fee for 10-Month Period Cleanup Contractor Earns 80 Percent of Fiscal 2018 Fee at Hanford Site Hanford Site Services Provider Receives 94 Percent of Fee for Fiscal 2018 Employee-Led Facility Efficiencies Improve Workflow at Hanford Tank Farms Oak Ridge Contractor Earns 97 Percent of Fee for Yearlong Period SRS Museum Unveils Environmental Stewardship Gallery Removal of Portals Another Step in Progress at Oak Ridge ETTP Portals across the East Tennessee Technology Park site are being demolished as access restrictions are no longer needed for many areas of the site. OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – They once served as gateways to a secret site that helped end World War II. Now, EM and cleanup contractor UCOR are demolishing the portals that once controlled access to the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant — literally and symbolically removing the barriers to the site’s future state. Originally, these structures housed guards who screened employees as they filed through the gates to support the plant’s uranium enrichment efforts. With that mission ending in the 1980s, demolition of these portals represents another major step toward EM’s vision for the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). Together, EM and UCOR are working to transform the once-secret, government-owned land into a private sector industrial park that creates new economic opportunities for the region. “These may not be the largest structures being demolished at ETTP, but they represent the progress being made to transform the site as more land is opened for private economic development and the need to restrict access diminishes,” said Karen Deacon, acting ETTP portfolio federal project director. One of the early portals that controlled access to the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Workers demolish one of the portals that controlled access to the K-25 Building. Three portals have been demolished in recent weeks, including two that controlled access to the massive former K-25 Building. This mile-long structure was torn down in 2013, and its footprint is now part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Workers have demolished 12 of the portals in past years. When major cleanup is completed in 2020, only two portals will remain that will be reused for other purposes. “From a constantly changing skyline to parcels being transferred to private businesses, we are well on our way to achieving Vision 2020 — EM’s goal to complete major cleanup at ETTP by 2020,” UCOR President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Rueter said. “We are still working to demolish the remaining buildings that supported the site’s previous mission, and when UCOR completes those efforts in the next year and a half, we will have created a valuable asset that greatly benefits the community.” EM has already demolished more than 400 buildings and transferred almost 1,300 acres from government ownership at ETTP. -Contributor: Wayne McKinney Back to Top Hanford WTP Turns Over Analytical Laboratory to Startup Phase Workers at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant recently completed turnover of the Analytical Laboratory to the full startup and testing phase. During direct feed low-activity waste vitrification operations, the laboratory will analyze approximately 3,000 samples each year to confirm the correct “recipe” needed to produce a consistent glass form. RICHLAND, Wash. – Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) team achieved a significant accomplishment recently as construction crews completed turnover of the Analytical Laboratory systems to the full startup phase. “The laboratory is the first major WTP facility to complete systems turnover work,” said Tom Fletcher, WTP project director for EM’s Office of River Protection. “Finishing major construction and turning the laboratory systems over to the startup phase moves us closer to treating radioactive tank waste.” The turnover comes after WTP contractor Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) successfully energized the laboratory’s lights, panels, and outlets this past fall. The laboratory’s key function is to confirm that all glass produced by the Low Activity Waste (LAW) facility meets regulatory requirements and standards. During direct feed low-activity waste operations, technicians in the laboratory will analyze approximately 3,000 process samples each year. Analyses will confirm the correct “recipe” needed to produce a consistent glass form. Samples will also be taken throughout the vitrification process to confirm a high-quality glass product and good process controls. Employees at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) inspect a system equipment tag inside the plant’s Analytical Laboratory. Construction crews have completed turnover of the laboratory systems to the full startup phase, marking the first major WTP facility to complete systems turnover work. The turnovers from construction to startup of 34 systems included electrical, mechanical, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and high purity gases systems. “This accomplishment involved many people and teams,” said Valerie McCain, BNI principal vice president and WTP project director. “It represents the full range of work including design and engineering, environmental permitting, procurement, construction, and many support organizations.” Thanks to a phased transition of systems to the startup phase, the startup team is well underway in testing to verify the laboratory equipment and systems are in safe and working order for handover to the commissioning phase. Laboratory systems testing is anticipated to finish this year. In the meantime, WTP chemists are developing the processes needed to analyze radioactive tank waste at the laboratory. This work is happening inside a 3,300-square-foot laboratory at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington. BNI set up the laboratory there so chemists and laboratory specialists can train with the same equipment that will be eventually transferred to the WTP Analytical Laboratory to support WTP’s commissioning phase. -Contributor: George Rangel Back to Top Savannah River Remediation Earns $12.5 Million Fee From January-May 2018 Savannah River Remediation workers prep the process enclosure foundation for Tank Closure Cesium Removal at the Savannah River Site’s H Tank Farm. AIKEN, S.C. – EM’s Savannah River Field Office recently awarded its liquid waste contractor more than $12.5 million of nearly $13.2 million in available fee for the performance evaluation period of Jan. 1, 2018 through May 31, 2018. Savannah River Remediation (SRR) received an “excellent” performance rating by exceeding many significant award fee criteria and meeting its contract performance requirements, according to the fee scorecard. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. SRR achieved key milestones toward the safe resumption of operational activities following a liquid waste system outage and provided timely prioritization of work scope, clear focus on safe operations, and expeditious response to changing contract conditions, according to the fee scorecard. The contractor also quickly addressed emerging issues while keeping clear focus on the safe operation of facilities. During the performance period, SRR successfully completed an extended outage that allowed for system improvements, the scorecard noted. The contractor also made progress installing the Tank Closure Cesium Removal process equipment; double-stacking Defense Waste Processing Facility canisters in storage; and designing and constructing three Saltstone Disposal Units. The scorecard noted the need for improvement in technical safety requirements and worker safety practices. View the scorecard here. Back to Top Remediated Hanford Waste Site Returning to Nature Revegetation is complete for Hanford’s former 618-10 burial ground, representing the culmination of years of work to reduce a significant risk to groundwater and the nearby Columbia River. RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) completed revegetation this month at the former 618-10 burial ground, the final step in remediation of what was once one of Hanford’s most hazardous waste sites. The project represents the culmination of years of work to reduce a significant risk to groundwater and the nearby Columbia River. Workers hand-planted approximately 76,000 small shrubs grown from seeds collected at the Hanford Site as part of the revegetation effort. CHPRC project manager Mike Kruzic highlights the work in this video. -Contributor: John Wilkerson Back to Top SRS M&O Contractor Earns 92 Percent of Available Fee for 10-Month Period Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) risk reduction operators Antonio Jenkins, left, and Sylvester Palmer, practice using a tool in a mock-up facility for eventual use in Building 235-F. EM and SRNS are conducting cleanup and risk reduction activities at 235-F. AIKEN, S.C. – EM recently awarded the Savannah River Site management and operations contractor more than $22.5 million of an available $24.4 million fee for its performance evaluation period of Oct. 1, 2017 through July 31, 2018. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) continues to deliver a strong performance in environmental management and cleanup while maintaining high standards of safety, safeguards, and security, according to the fee scorecard. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. During a performance evaluation period of Oct. 1, 2017 through July 31, 2018, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions processed three uranium streams in H-Canyon, pictured, for the first time in site history: Material Test Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF), High Flux Isotope Reactor SNF, and Target Residue Material solutions. Following are highlights of SRNS’s performance during the evaluation period: Maintained injury and illness rates well below EM established goals. Processed three uranium streams in H Canyon for the first time: Material Test Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF), High Flux Isotope Reactor SNF, and Target Residue Material solutions. Reversed a negative fiscal 2017 trend in notices of violations by conducting programmatic risk-based self-assessments, corporate reviews, and reorganization to improve facility compliance. Hired 400 new employees to maintain required technical competencies to support SRS missions. Met increased demand to train new hires in site maintenance, radiological protection, and other areas. Awarded 68 percent of its contracts to small businesses, exceeding its goal of 52 percent, and exceeded all socioeconomic goals. The scorecard noted that SRNS management needs to maintain focus on safely operating facilities and continuing to implement a sound contractor assurance program to reduce the potential of future significant issues. View the scorecard here. Back to Top Cleanup Contractor Earns 80 Percent of Fiscal 2018 Fee at Hanford Site During fiscal 2018, CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company began the transport of radioactive sludge to T Plant for safe storage away from the Columbia River. RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Richland Operations Office (RL) awarded cleanup contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) nearly $10.2 million, or about 80 percent of the available fee of almost $12.8 million for fiscal 2018. Evaluation of the contractor’s performance is conducted under objective and subjective performance measure categories. In the objective category, the contractor earned 91 percent of the available fee, or about $8 million. CHPRC accomplished a number of EM performance goals for cleanup of the Hanford Site during fiscal 2018, including completion of remediation and backfill of the 618-10 burial ground; start of transport of radioactive sludge to T Plant; and start of stabilization of Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant Tunnel 2, according to the award fee determination summary. In the subjective category, the contractor earned 53 percent of the available fee, or more than $2 million. The subjective fee determination addresses the December 2017 spread of radiological contamination outside posted radiological boundaries at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP); associated failed corrective actions taken following the June 2017 spread of contamination from PFP; and significant PFP resource, cost, and schedule effects on other RL projects, according to the summary. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. Since the December 2017 PFP event, CHPRC has shown steady performance improvement in areas that include radiological controls, work planning, and supervisory oversight of work, according to the summary. “Together, we overcame significant challenges, but also made great progress for the Hanford Site mission,” said Ty Blackford, CHPRC president and chief executive officer. “We will continue to learn and grow. Our dedicated and talented employees have shown, and continue to show, their commitment to safely and compliantly reducing additional risks this year. It remains our honor to contribute in this important mission in support of our client, community, and stakeholders.” The contractor had earned fee of $12 million in fiscal 2009-2012 for the multi-year performance measure of PFP demolition, prior to the beginning of demolition. Because that performance measure was not completed by Sept. 30, 2018, as required to earn additional fee, the remaining fee of $39 million that was not earned is forfeited. View the CHPRC fee determination scorecard here. -Contributor: Mark Heeter Back to Top Hanford Site Services Provider Receives 94 Percent of Fee for Fiscal 2018 Mission Support Alliance heavy equipment operators used nine dump trucks, two water trucks, three bulldozers, one road grader, one compactor, and one front-end loader to install the cover for the Hanford Solid Waste Landfill. RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Richland Operations Office (RL) recently awarded the Hanford Site services contractor nearly $21 million, or 94 percent of the available fee for fiscal 2018. Mission Support Alliance (MSA) met or exceeded the majority of performance goals and objectives for the performance period, according to the fee determination scorecard provided to MSA. “I am pleased with the progress attained this past fiscal year,” RL Manager Doug Shoop wrote in a letter to MSA accompanying the scorecard. “I look forward to working with MSA in continuing to right-size the Hanford Site infrastructure, improving site-wide safety, and overall, driving for safe and cost-effective cleanup.” EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. Among MSA’s significant accomplishments, according to the scorecard: The contractor was instrumental in the site-wide implementation of contractors’ worker safety and health plans. MSA continued to provide other Hanford contractors excellent support in environmental management. The contractor was proactive in developing preventive and remedial corrective actions to address higher-risk events and conditions. “Our partnership and collaboration with DOE, the other Hanford contractors, unions, and the community is key to Hanford’s success,” said Bob Wilkinson, MSA president. “I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication of our MSA team. Their commitment to delivering safe and streamlined services is critical to enabling the Hanford mission.” While MSA earned an overall “very good” rating for its performance against a performance and evaluation plan, RL noted several areas with room for improvement. “Overall, MSA’s performance was very good, enabling the company to earn 94 percent of fee, an increase over the previous performance period; some performance elements within quality and regulatory compliance included areas with opportunities for improvement,” according to an RL statement. For example, delays were encountered with the South Area Fire Station Project. MSA did not complete appropriate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies for all recommended proposals, which delayed the project. MSA’s NEPA compliance and process for conducting NEPA studies needs improvement, according to the scorecard. View the scorecard here. -Contributor: Mark Heeter Back to Top Employee-Led Facility Efficiencies Improve Workflow at Hanford Tank Farms A change trailer at Hanford’s tank farm buzzes with activity as employees don or doff personal protective equipment. The facility recently underwent improvements to increase safety and efficiency for employees. RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Office of River Protection (ORP) and Hanford tank farms contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) recently collaborated to increase efficiency and further enhance safety by improving a facility where workers don and doff protective gear. Donny Lapierre, a WRPS nuclear chemical operator, designed the worker-friendly improvements at a change trailer where employees in protective clothing enter and exit a series of Hanford tank farms. They go there after checking out a mask and rack for holding an air bottle for their self-contained breathing apparatus. Lapierre increased the number of air bottles stored at the trailer so they move only between the trailer and Hanford Fire Department, which fills them. Previously, workers handled a bottle up to eight times as it moved between storage, the fire department, and the trailer. “Less handling of the bottles means less chance of damage or injury,” Lapierre said. The trailer supports employees working at four tank farms, and as many as 100 people wear protective gear at once. The trailer is the size of a large double-wide mobile home. Half is dedicated to getting employees suited up for work — as many as 25 at a time — and half for turning in equipment and clothing when their shifts are done. Workers don coveralls and shoe covers, rubber overshoes, gloves, and other required personal protective equipment in the trailer. All those items must be stored there, many in multiple sizes and types, so space is crucial. Donny Lapierre, nuclear chemical operator with Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), left, shows John Eschenberg, WRPS manager, improvements at a Hanford Site tank farm employee change trailer. EM's Office of River Protection and WRPS recently collaborated to increase efficiency and further enhance safety at this facility where workers don and doff protective gear. To cut down on clutter, Lapierre installed a coat rack under the lip of a work station counter to give employees a place to hang jackets and hats. A printer was added to assist employees in reviewing and printing work package instructions. A radio base station also was installed, providing an alternative to land lines and cell phones, and improving emergency communication. The improvements come as ORP and WRPS gear up for retrieving waste in tank AX-102 starting this summer, when crews will install a waste retrieval system. -Contributor: Hal McCune Back to Top Oak Ridge Contractor Earns 97 Percent of Fee for Yearlong Period North Wind Solutions operates the Transuranic Waste Processing Center in Oak Ridge. Employees at the facility process, package, and ship contact-handled and remote-handled transuranic waste for disposal at EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, New Mexico. OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – North Wind Solutions, which operates EM Oak Ridge’s Transuranic Waste Processing Center (TWPC), earned nearly $383,000, or 97 percent of the available fee for the performance evaluation period of Oct. 27, 2017 through Oct. 26, 2018, according to a recently released fee determination letter. DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) gave North Wind a “high confidence” rating for its cost and schedule performance and “excellent” rating for its technical performance for waste processing operation, according to the letter to the contractor. OREM noted that North Wind has continued to execute the scope under the TWPC contract very well. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program. Among North Wind’s accomplishments during the evaluation period: Processed 28.89 cubic meters of contact-handled transuranic waste, surpassing its goal of 27.31 cubic meters by 5.8 percent. Completed 44 transuranic waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and underwent a recertification audit by EM’s Carlsbad Field Office without any major issues, demonstrating TWPC compliance with WIPP waste acceptance criteria. Implemented an effective, well-managed safety and health program, with North Wind safely receiving, treating, and packaging transuranic waste from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. North Wind and its subcontractors processed 57.16 cubic meters of remote-handed transuranic waste, missing the goal by 2.8 percent. Still, North Wind successfully met a regulatory milestone for processing 97 cubic meters of remote-handled transuranic waste ahead of schedule. View the letter here. -Contributor: David Sheeley Back to Top SRS Museum Unveils Environmental Stewardship Gallery Officials gather for a ribbon cutting ceremony to open an environmental stewardship gallery at the SRS Museum. Front row, from left, Walt Joseph, executive director of the SRS Museum; Paula Joseph, museum volunteer; and Chris McBride, assistant director of Savannah River Ecology Laboratory; back row, from left, Aiken County Chairman Gary Bunker; U.S. Forest Service-Savannah River Assistant Manager for Research Andy Horcher; and David Jameson, president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce. AIKEN, S.C. – The opening of a museum gallery here displays the Savannah River Site’s (SRS) historic and ongoing role in environmental stewardship to the public. The SRS Museum recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to open an environmental stewardship gallery, a collaboration of the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) and the USDA Forest Service-Savannah River (USFS-SR). The project highlights the ecological research and land management practices that began in 1951 after SREL and USFS-SR accepted the Atomic Energy Commission’s invitation to conduct work on what would become the SRS. Walt Joseph, the executive director of the museum, said both entities are integral to the site’s story, so this was a natural collaboration. “I wanted to see the museum reflect all aspects of the site. Initially, the museum’s focus was on nuclear production and research,” Joseph said. “We had nothing to show the vast research that focuses on protecting the environment.” David Jameson, president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, studies the historical timeline of Savannah River Site accomplishments. From left, Kurt Buhlmann, senior research associate at Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, holding a gopher tortoise shell, and Charlie Davis, forest ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service-Savannah River, pose with Smokey Bear. Visitors to the museum can view a timeline that features milestones, accomplishments, and conservation efforts. The room also features photographs, illustrations, and interactive exhibits. Vivid life-sized details of the various habitat types and associated wildlife are also on display. Joseph said exhibits in the gallery will be updated regularly to reflect future achievements in environmental stewardship at SRS. -Contributors: Charlie Davis, Todd Lista,* Vicky L. Sutton-Jackson* Back to Top
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