EM Update | Vol. 11, Issue 28 | July 23, 2019

• Demolition Continues at Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant
• EM Completes NNSS Soil Sites Mission Ahead of Schedule, Under Budget
• WIPP Drivers Surpass 15 Million Safe Miles
• SRS Employees Further Safety, Create Efficiencies in Plutonium Downblending
• Collaborating With SRS Helps Hanford Prepare to Treat Tank Waste
• Oak Ridge Contractor Develops Next Generation of Cleanup Workers
• West Valley Recycles Demolition Debris, Offsets Cleanup Costs
• Revamped Website Makes it Easier for Public to Engage With Hanford Site

Demolition Continues at Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant

RICHLAND, Wash. – One of the Hanford Site’s most critical risk-reduction efforts continues at the Plutonium Finishing Plant’s (PFP) main processing facility.

Since April, workers with EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) have safely removed large sections of the main facility, including two stairwells, several sections of piping, and an associated concrete vault.

This time-lapse video highlights lower-risk demolition completed through mid-July.

Demolition resumed after crews finished removing debris that had been on the ground since December 2017, when work stopped after a spread of low levels of contamination. Since September 2018, crews with CHPRC have safely packaged and transferred nearly 7,000 tons of debris to Hanford’s onsite regulated landfill.

Demolition of the remaining lower-risk portions of the main processing facility is expected to be completed by the end of August and is being done under a revised demolition strategy and safety controls implemented last fall.

“PFP demolition continues to be a high priority, and I am encouraged by the safe and steady progress,” said Tom Teynor, RL project director. “The enhanced safety measures in place since lower-risk activities resumed nearly a year ago have proved effective in protecting workers, the environment, and the public.”

This animation shows the revised demolition approach and enhanced controls, reflecting worker input. Pauses are built into the schedule to review lessons learned and incorporate additional input before proceeding.

“The physical progress on this project is really exciting to see,” said Jason Casper, CHPRC vice president for the PFP closure project. “I’m proud of our team’s continued focus on safety over speed.”

RL continues to post weekly updates on PFP activities here.

-Contributor: Dieter Bohrmann

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EM Completes NNSS Soil Sites Mission Ahead of Schedule, Under Budget

LAS VEGAS – EM’s Nevada Program has safely and successfully completed corrective actions and closed the last of 138 soil sites at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS).

The recent accomplishment helped accelerate the schedule to complete corrective actions at all soil sites under the Nevada Program by six years, saving $67 million. The team is focused on closing the sixth of six soil sites at the adjoining Air Force-controlled Nevada Test and Training Range by the end of this year.

“The success of this project is built upon a foundation of teamwork and the contributions of many federal, contractor, and regulatory staff, and intergovernmental partners,” Nevada Program Manager Rob Boehlecke said. “Most importantly, all work was safely completed with no Occupational Safety and Health Administration-recordable injuries, and worker exposures were minimized through careful planning such that none exceeded established safety limits.”

The Nevada Program reduced the cost and schedule of the NNSS soil sites project through several means, including streamlining the closure process at several sites without sacrificing safety or thoroughness. The EM team relied on historic data, such as an expansive survey conducted from 1981 through 1986 to identify the level and location of radioactive contamination. The team also relied on radiological surveys completed in the 1990s by aircraft flying over the NNSS. This information helped identify contaminated sites to list in the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, a legally-binding agreement signed in 1996 that outlines a schedule of cleanup and monitoring commitments.

Walkover surveys provided important data on conditions after crews removed contaminated soil and debris in Area 5 at the Nevada National Security Site, leading to the safe and successful completion of corrective actions there.

Hundreds of scientists, technicians, laboratory employees, and other team members, some who have worked at NNSS for several decades, supported the work to remove surface and shallow subsurface soils contaminated by historic nuclear testing from 1951 until 1992.

Dozens of stakeholders have shaped the path to complete the NNSS soil sites, including representatives of the State of Nevada, U.S. Air Force, tribes, other intergovernmental entities, and the Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board, which provides recommendations to the Nevada Program.

Environmental corrective actions began with characterizing the extent of soil contamination at the NNSS. The biggest challenge was identifying the best remedy for contaminated soils that cover approximately 6,000 acres on the NNSS, while accounting for worker risks, future land use, and long-term protection of human health and the environment. Ultimately, the Nevada Program selected a radiological dose-based cleanup remedy and crews began completing corrective actions in 2007.

More challenges followed, including the discovery of unexpected contaminants such as unexploded ordnance and hazardous waste, which workers safely mitigated.

The first NNSS soils site to undergo investigation, remediation, and closure was the T-1 site in 2009. It was the location of four different nuclear tests detonated from atop towers in the 1950s. Remediation activities there included removal and recycling of lead objects.

The last of the NNSS soils sites approved for closure this year were a group of six sites where chemical and radiological contamination resulted primarily from weapons-related testing.

-Contributor: Dona Merritt

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WIPP Drivers Surpass 15 Million Safe Miles

A transuranic waste shipment arrives at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant from the EM program at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.

CARLSBAD, N.M. – EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) marked a second major transportation milestone this summer after its drivers exceeded 15 million safe miles, equivalent to about 33 roundtrips to the moon, without serious accident or injury.

The latest milepost comes just weeks after WIPP received its 12,500th transuranic (TRU) waste shipment since operations began there in 1999.

“This is a testament to the caliber of driving professionals that support the WIPP transportation program,” said Kirk Lachman, acting manager of the Carlsbad Field Office. “We are fortunate to have the best of the best driving for us, which is extremely important to safely carry out our mission.”

The TRU waste shipment that put WIPP over 15 million safe miles originated from the EM program at the Idaho National Laboratory Site, which has sent more than 6,300 shipments to WIPP over the past 20 years.

Since WIPP began operations, it has received TRU waste from 22 DOE sites around the DOE complex.

WIPP drivers receive almost 200 hours of training before they transport their first shipment of TRU waste. They must meet extensive driving and background requirements before being considered for employment. Once employed, they receive training on transporting TRU waste from DOE generator sites across the country. This includes use of package securement devices and radiation detection equipment, and proficiency in emergency management procedures.

Located in southeast New Mexico about 26 miles from Carlsbad, WIPP was constructed in the 1980s for disposal of defense-generated TRU waste. The repository is carved out of a 2,000-foot-thick salt bed formed 250 million years ago. TRU waste is disposed of 2,150 feet underground in rooms mined from the salt bed.

-Contributor: Donavan Mager

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SRS Employees Further Safety, Create Efficiencies in Plutonium Downblending

A new, sturdier mock-up of a glovebox was built at K Area at the Savannah River Site for employee training on updated procedures related to plutonium downblending.

AIKEN, S.C. – EM, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the management and operations contractor at the Savannah River Site are partnering to reduce radiological exposure, improve efficiency, and align with long-term DOE plutonium downblending goals at the site’s K Area Complex.

“K Area is ramping up its capabilities in order to meet the needs of DOE,” Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Facility Manager Steve Wilkerson said. “We are moving from one-shift to two-shift operations, with the plan of being at four shifts by 2021.”

Plutonium downblending is the process of mixing plutonium oxide with an inert material. The material will then be shipped to an out-of-state repository for disposition as waste. All plutonium downblending takes place inside a K Area stainless-steel glovebox with safety glass panels and fitted glove-port openings. The glovebox shields workers from hazards while allowing for contaminated materials handling.

Employee improvements to the glovebox include:

• A new wing cabinet being installed on the side of the glovebox, which allows for easier introduction of material to the glovebox, compared to the current process of bagging the material and bringing it inside the glovebox through a smaller port.
• Specially designed blend can carts to roll heavy canisters through the glovebox.
• A new 6-inch bagport to reduce the amount of transuranic waste generated. The bagport is where workers place material from the glovebox into bags and seal it for storage and removal.
• Acquiring new tools to allow for tight bag closure.
• Relocating tools inside the glovebox to allow materials to pass through the glovebox once to complete downblending, instead of multiple times.

Employees completed training in the updated procedures in a newly built mock-up of the glovebox, which is housed in a non-contaminated environment. The mock-up is made of aluminum, making it sturdier than the previous wooden one.

“We are on track to have process optimization complete by spring of 2020,” DOE Nuclear Materials Manager Maxcine Maxted said. “These improvements required a lot of planning and work to complete, but will result in a safer, more efficient process.”

NNSA is in the design phase of its surplus plutonium disposition project, which will add three additional gloveboxes to the K Area, increasing plutonium downblending capacity and expediting the removal of plutonium from South Carolina.

-Contributor: Lindsey MonBarren

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Collaborating With SRS Helps Hanford Prepare to Treat Tank Waste

Experts in tank waste treatment systems from Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) and Savannah River Remediation (SRR) recently met to exchange lessons learned. The group included, from left, Sean Reaksecker, WRPS; Connie Yung, SRR; Thuy Le, SRR; Hasmukh Shah, SRR; Michele Wells, SRR; Jeremy Belsher, WRPS; Elizha West, WRPS; Rebecca Sams, WRPS; Pete Hill, SRR; Jeff Ledbetter, SRR; John Fleming, WRPS; Jeff Gillam, SRR; and Barrick Blocker, SRR.

RICHLAND, Wash. – As Hanford prepares for tank waste treatment, the site collaborated with EM’s Savannah River Site (SRS) for lessons on transitioning to waste treatment operations.

“Exchanging information and lessons between contractors across the Department of Energy complex is important for each site’s remediation work and a win-win for everyone,” said Pete Hill, system planning manager with SRS liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation (SRR). “Both SRR and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) are working toward the goal of reducing the risk of high-level waste in our respective states. SRR’s system planning team was pleased to share operational planning knowledge as WRPS begins supporting the Hanford treatment process.”

Rebecca Sams, team manager for mission integration analysis at Hanford tank farms contractor WRPS, coordinated with counterparts at SRS to gather information from experts operating a tank waste treatment facility. Sams said her team was eager to review the practices SRS employees employ in support of treatment operations.

“It was valuable to learn about their processes and contributions to the pace of operations,” Sams said. “The exchange helped reaffirm some of our decisions while providing some insight into the effective use of team resources for the organizational integration needed to support treatment operations.”

SRR operates a radioactive waste vitrification plant, called the Defense Waste Processing Facility, which has produced more than 4,000 canisters of vitrified waste. Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is scheduled to begin treating waste within three years, and Hanford is preparing for the transition to round-the-clock operations.

Elizha West, enhanced modeling and tool development lead for WRPS, said, “It was really interesting to learn more about the differences and similarities of the two programs — how our groups approach planning based on the tools we use.”

Processes used in plutonium production at Hanford resulted in a wider array of chemicals in the waste stream than at Savannah River. Hanford also deals with 177 tanks and 56 million gallons of waste, compared to Savannah River’s 43 tanks and 35 million gallons.

“The exchange helped me see that it’s important to determine what things we should be focusing on,” said John Fleming, manager of the WRPS software development and maintenance group for mission integration analysis.

-Contributor: Hal McCune

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Oak Ridge Contractor Develops Next Generation of Cleanup Workers

UCOR President and CEO Ken Rueter speaks at the 2019 East Tennessee Workforce Summit about his company’s approach to workforce development. Tennessee State Rep. John Ragan is at right.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – EM’s cleanup contractor at the Oak Ridge Site is helping develop the next generation of workers by leading or collaborating on numerous programs to ensure future cleanup is met with a capable, safety-conscious workforce.

UCOR President and CEO discussed those efforts under way at the 1,800-employee company during an address at the 2019 East Tennessee Workforce Summit last week.

“Even though UCOR will complete major cleanup at ETTP (East Tennessee Technology Park) next year, we realize that much more cleanup will be required here in Oak Ridge and across the nation,” Rueter said. “Because of that continuing need for workers, we are committed to cultivating the next generation of cleanup workers.”

EM has created new economic development opportunities by cleaning and transferring land at ETTP. However, much more work remains to remove all of the old, hazardous infrastructure at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, which will enhance safety and clear the way for mission growth at these crucial research and national defense sites.

UCOR’s comprehensive workforce development approach begins in elementary schools and continues through higher education, technical training, and apprenticeships.

The company has invested more than $150,000 in local elementary, middle, and high schools to fund science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education projects in classrooms.

UCOR has invested more than $150,000 in local classrooms to support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

UCOR partnered with United Steelworkers to offer hazardous waste operations and emergency response training to high school students in the region, providing the students credentials that will help them find work in the hazardous waste cleanup industry.

At the collegiate level, UCOR collaborated with the University of Tennessee’s nuclear engineering department to offer the first nuclear decommissioning and environmental management minor degree at a university or college in the U.S. UCOR has hired several recent graduates with that minor degree. UCOR also is collaborating with Roane State Community College on a chemical operators program.

A collaborative effort with the North America's Building Trades Unions and the Cooperative Agreement of Labor and Management led to the East Tennessee Apprenticeship Readiness Program. UCOR sponsored the program’s inaugural classes, and the 48 graduates were offered employment in the Oak Ridge area, many by UCOR.

The company’s summer internship program pairs college students from across the nation with mentors. Several participants pursued careers at UCOR after completing their internships.

Within UCOR, the Rising Senior Leaders Program gives a boost to future leaders. It is UCOR’s signature 12-month development program for leaders who show great potential to rise to upper level leadership positions.

“We have had great success in our cleanup work in Oak Ridge, bringing in projects ahead of schedule and under budget, and most importantly, completing them safely,” Rueter said. “We are proud to have so many partnerships with other organizations, as well as providing our own sponsorship, to keep alive the legacy of safe, effective cleanup and environmental risk reduction at the Oak Ridge Reservation.”

-Contributor: Wayne McKinney

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West Valley Recycles Demolition Debris, Offsets Cleanup Costs

A truck hauls a transformer from EM’s West Valley Demonstration Project to a recycling facility. Funds from recycling are used to offset the site’s cleanup costs.

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – Workers at EM’s West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) recently shipped a large transformer to a recycling facility, bringing the site’s cost savings from recycling to more than $14,000 to date.

During demolition projects, crews identify non-contaminated materials suitable for recycling. Payments received for recycling offset EM’s cleanup costs at WVDP.

“Recycling is part of our commitment to be good stewards of the environment,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said. “It’s the right thing to do and helps save money for taxpayers and the government.”

The transformer was housed within the site’s former utility room extension building, which crews recently demolished. Built in the 1990s, the facility provided additional power for the WVDP vitrification melter used to solidified 600,000 gallons of high-level liquid radioactive waste from 1996 to 2002.

“Performing our cleanup efforts in a safe and environmentally sound manner is a formula for success,” said Joe Ebert, site operations manager of CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, EM’s cleanup contractor at the site. “West Valley and other DOE Environmental Management sites continue to reduce legacy risks while staying focused on safety and the environment.”

-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere

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Revamped Website Makes it Easier for Public to Engage With Hanford Site

Ben Ellison, Hanford Site chief information officer, far right, Suzanne Johnson, Mission Support Alliance (MSA) project manager, far left, and Carolyn Noonan, MSA environmental integration services, demonstrate the updated Hanford Administrative Record website.

RICHLAND, Wash. – A two-year project to improve a publicly available website has brought more ease to government officials, stakeholders, and others in search of documents related to the Hanford Site cleanup.

Managed by EM Richland Operations Office contractor Mission Support Alliance (MSA), the website allows members of the public to search for and view documents the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology use to make cleanup and permitting decisions. Those agencies signed the Tri-Party Agreement, which governs cleanup at Hanford.

The collection of documents, called the Hanford Site Administrative Record/Public Information Repository, has been in use for many years. The upgraded website replaces an outdated application that made searching difficult, had security vulnerabilities, and lacked modern website features. MSA replaced the application with a solution that allows users to search the full text of the collection, then sort, filter, export, and download search results.

“While these upgrades improve the system, improving access to information and cultivating the public’s trust was the project’s key driver,” said Ben Ellison, the Hanford Site chief information officer. “What good is information if you can’t find it?”

MSA also made it simpler for DOE to add new information to the website.

“By deploying this technology, we’ve laid the groundwork for DOE to manage additional collections without long development times or sizable investments of time and funding,” said Suzanne Johnson, MSA project manager for software engineering services.

Access the updated website here.

-Contributor: Jennifer Colborn

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