EM Update | Vol. 11, Issue 29 | July 30, 2019

• Crews Mobilize to Build Mercury Treatment Facility in Oak Ridge
• SRS Liquid Waste Contractor Earns Almost $28.6 Million of Available Fee
• Hanford Sets Key Vessels for Effluent Management Facility
• EM Leads DOE's Food Drive to Help People in Critical Summer Months
• Technology Improves Response During Hanford Emergency Exercise
• Cold War Patriot Offers Glimpse Into Early Savannah River Site History
• West Valley Enlists Divers to Inspect, Clean Fire Water Storage Tank
• Local Students Measure Health of Savannah River by its Biodiversity

Crews Mobilize to Build Mercury Treatment Facility in Oak Ridge

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge Site crews recently mobilized to begin constructing the Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility, vital infrastructure to fulfill EM’s regulatory commitments to reduce mercury levels in the East Fork Poplar Creek and begin large-scale cleanup and demolition at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

EM awarded APTIM-North Wind Construction a $91.8 million firm-fixed-price contract in December 2018 to construct the facility. The contract has a four year performance period.

The Mercury Treatment Facility will be comprised of two components at two locations — a headworks facility and a treatment plant connected by a pipeline nearly a mile long. The headworks facility will capture creek flow on the west end of Y-12, store excess stormwater collected during large rainfalls, remove grit, and pump water through the pipeline to the treatment plant on the east side of Y-12. The treated water will then flow into the creek.

Employees installed fences and barriers to identify the boundaries of the Mercury Treatment Facility’s treatment plant and headworks facility, ensuring safety and security.

Crews will soon begin excavating at the headworks facility site to allow for construction of the facility’s foundations.

Workers remove asphalt on the east end of the Y-12 National Security Complex for the site of the Mercury Treatment Facility’s treatment plant.

Since work began last month, employees have installed fences and barriers to identify the boundaries of both sites and ensure site safety and security. They also are removing asphalt where the treatment plant will be located.

At the headworks site, workers are preparing to excavate to construct the building’s foundations, and they are installing a dewatering system to support a deep excavation.

“It’s exciting to have crews mobilized onsite and moving forward on a facility that is a central component of our cleanup strategy at Y-12,” said Brian Henry, Y-12 portfolio federal project director for DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of EM. “After years of planning, designing, and site prep work, we are eager to advance this important project that will enable cleanup and modernization at an important national security site.”

When the Mercury Treatment Facility is operational, it will limit and control potential mercury releases as crews take down massive Cold War buildings and address the soils — activities that may disrupt the mercury-contaminated area on the west end of Y-12. The facility is designed to treat up to 3,000 gallons of water per minute and includes a 2-million-gallon storage tank to collect stormwater.

-Contributor: Ben Williams

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SRS Liquid Waste Contractor Earns Almost $28.6 Million of Available Fee

An aerial view of the Savannah River Site's Tank Closure Cesium Removal demonstration.

AIKEN, S.C. – EM’s Savannah River Operations Office awarded its liquid waste contractor an “excellent” rating and nearly $28.6 million, or 94 percent, of the available award fee for its performance from June 2018 through March 2019.

Savannah River Remediation (SRR) exceeded many significant award fee criteria and met its contract performance requirements, according to the award 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’s management demonstrated a high level of involvement in achieving key milestones toward increasing operational activities, providing timely prioritization of work scope, clear focus on safe operations, and expeditious response to changing contract conditions.

SRR achievements during the period include:

• Progress in preparing liquid waste facilities for increased production levels expected when the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) is scheduled to start up in fiscal 2020.
• Successful completion of Tank Closure Cesium Removal processing of 153,000 gallons of salt feed from Tank 10.
• Advancing the design and construction of Saltstone Disposal Units 7, 8, and 9.
• Maintaining high standards and performance in contract management activities as shown by hiring and training new employees for SWPF and replacing those lost to attrition.

Notable issues identified during the period related to conduct of operations, worker safety, and government property management. The continued need for management attention and focus in these areas was considered in the final fee determination.

View SRR's award fee scorecard here.

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Hanford Sets Key Vessels for Effluent Management Facility

EM Leads DOE's Food Drive to Help People in Critical Summer Months

EM is leading DOE’s effort to collect and donate food to people in need this summer through a drive held by federal employees across the U.S.

Summer can be especially difficult for some families because their children don’t have access to free breakfasts and lunches provided by schools during the school year.

“The biggest concern is that during summer months food insecurity is a major challenge,” said Melody Bell, EM’s acting deputy assistant secretary for resource management, who volunteered to serve as chair of DOE’s 2019 Feds Feed Families Food Drive. “It really puts a lot of stress on the families during the summer months.”

Bell coordinates all of DOE’s efforts in the drive and hopes to achieve the Department’s goal of collecting 70,000 pounds of non-perishable and perishable goods before the campaign ends Aug. 9.

“This agency is known for rolling their sleeves up and pitching in. I’m very proud of that,” Bell said. “Coming together as a community is pretty important to help overcome this challenge, or try to minimize it as much as possible.”

Employees can drop off non-perishable food items at workplace collection boxes for the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., or a food bank outside the region; deliver surplus fresh food from gardens to participating local food pantries; or help glean, or clear, fields and warehouses of unused produce.

“I’m humbled to be tapped to take on such a significant task,” Bell said. “I’m challenged by a short timeframe but I’ve gotten so much support from the DOE community,” including employees at DOE headquarters and EM sites.

Donation bins at the Nevada Field Office are filling up quickly. Proceeds from the joint EM Nevada Program/National Nuclear Security Administration Feds Feed Families drive go to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization founded in 1970 that serves 30,000 meals a month.

At EM’s Paducah Site, 14 interns were asked to collect at least 12,000 pounds of canned food and other supplies for area nonprofit organizations through the Feds Feed Families drive this summer. They surpassed that goal by gathering more than 19,000 pounds of canned food and other supplies.

Initially, the task seemed impossible; however, the interns said they were amazed at how many pounds of food they collected by hosting a series of “foodraiser” events at the site.

“At first, it felt like an unattainable goal to collect this much food in such a short period of time,” intern Dillon Day said. “But in the end, I learned a lot about the value of teamwork and saw how much we were able to accomplish together.”

Feds Feed Families has a tremendous impact on local nonprofit food pantries and kitchens, according to Jennifer Woodard, Paducah Site lead for EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office.

“During the summer months, donations are low but the needs are high with children out of school,” Woodard said. “DOE Paducah is still collecting food and will be making more donations later this summer.”

As the Paducah Site’s effort continues, PPPO is also tapping the generosity of employees at its Portsmouth Site in Ohio and its office in Lexington, Kentucky.

Watch a video on the launch of the Feds Feed Families drive from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

For questions, contact Bell at Melody.Bell@hq.doe.gov or the DOE Feds Feed Families team at DOEFeedsfamilies1@hq.doe.gov.

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Technology Improves Response During Hanford Emergency Exercise

Joe Wiley, lead radiological control technician with Mission Support Alliance, demonstrates equipment used to quickly share radiological data from the field with the Hanford Site Emergency Operations Center and other responders.

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractor Mission Support Alliance (MSA) has tested a new technology during an emergency exercise that would quickly communicate the results of air samples during a potential hazardous material release at the Hanford Site.

The exercise provided survey teams with an opportunity to demonstrate the newly implemented RadResponder Network. The network, built by the National Nuclear Safety Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Environmental Protection Agency, uses wireless connectivity to share radiological data.

Equipped with handheld tablets loaded with the RadResponder mobile application during the exercise, MSA’s radiological control team accessed the network and promptly recorded and shared radiological data with the Hanford Emergency Operations Center.

“The collaboration and communication demonstrated by participants during the exercise is critical to a well managed, quality emergency management program,” said Corey Low, RL director of security emergency services and information management. “This new technology is a perfect example of the ongoing efforts to improve our emergency management program.”

Pete Lombardozzi, MSA radiological control project manager, looks forward to using the RadResponder.

“It is a state-of-the-art application that we can use to quickly transmit critical data directly to decision-makers and other responders, reducing data errors that can occur when information is relayed by phone,” Lombardozzi said.

The site’s emergency management program includes participants from DOE and contractors, and emergency plans are coordinated with area counties and the states of Oregon and Washington. Several exercises are conducted each year, including a large-scale drill each spring. Those exercises are effective at improving the program and ensuring response personnel are trained to protect Hanford workers, the public, and the environment.

-Contributor: Ginger Benecke

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Cold War Patriot Offers Glimpse Into Early Savannah River Site History

Walt Joseph, who began working at the Savannah River Site in the early 1950s, talks with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions employees about the site's valuable contributions to the U.S.

AIKEN, S.C. – Walt Joseph, one of the few original Savannah River Site (SRS) employees from the early 1950s, continues to preserve the site’s heritage years into his retirement.

During a recent presentation to the Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Site Training Department and new SRNS hires, the 90-year-old former member of the military recalled the site’s contributions that helped bring an end to the Cold War. SRNS is the site’s management and operations contractor.

“Very few people recognize that SRS made major contributions to this nation and to the world,” he said.

After serving in the military, Joseph completed his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Penn State University before he and his wife, Paula, moved to Aiken from Pennsylvania in 1954 so Joseph could pursue a career at SRS. For 12 years, he worked at what is now EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory.

“We did some pioneering work on the effects of radiation on structural materials and had a lot of fun with it,” Joseph said.

For years, he kept his career secret from his family.

“My son thought I was a barber for years,” Joseph said. “At the time, we couldn’t tell our families what we were working on and the kids only saw me after leaving work from the barber shop.”

Later, Joseph moved to a new position in site operations.

“I decided that while I loved the science and technology happening in the lab, I liked people more,” he explained. Joseph worked in many positions, from running transportation to doing research in equipment engineering.

Despite his approaching retirement, Joseph wanted to continue supporting the site.

“SRS has made an enormous contribution to the community, the country, and the world,” he said. “I think it’s important that local people understand this — take pride in it — support it in all of its various aspects,” Joseph said.

In the early 2000s, Joseph and other SRS supporters realized the site was missing something found at other nuclear sites: a heritage museum. In 2003, plans for a heritage foundation began taking shape.

“I think the site continues to have the potential for progress into the foreseeable future, and to do it, support is needed from the community. I hope that the museum is able to help build that kind of support through education about the site’s important history and service to the nation,” he said.

Joseph invested many hours to bring the vision for the Savannah River Site Heritage Foundation to life. In 2005, it was chartered.

Years later, the Aiken Chamber of Commerce named Joseph “Man of the Year,” recognizing his service to the community.

At the close of his recent presentation, Joseph offered advice to the SRNS employees.

“Be aware of your heritage and take pride in what you are doing for our nation,” he said.

The foundation raises funding for the SRS Museum in Aiken. The museum is undergoing restorations and will reopen next month with a new exhibit, tentatively titled “6,000 Stories.”

The exhibit will share the stories of families and businesses displaced by construction of what was called the Savannah River Plant in the early 1950s.

-Contributor: Angie Benfield

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West Valley Enlists Divers to Inspect, Clean Fire Water Storage Tank

Drew Matteson helps Chris Kunzel safely climb out of the EM West Valley Demonstration Project’s fire water storage tank after Kunzel cleaned its interior walls. The certified divers are with BIDCO Marine Group of Buffalo, New York.

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – Trained divers working on behalf of EM recently went underwater to clean and inspect a fire water storage tank at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP).

“Our team has planned extensively for this underwater work, and conducted several confined space rescue training drills to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” said Pat Douglass, a manager with WVDP cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley. “Whenever you perform high-risk work evolutions, extensive planning, lessons learned, and practice are keys to a safe and successful outcome.”

EM maintains about 300,000 gallons of water in the 40-foot-tall tank in the event of a fire.

EM conducts inspections of a 40-foot-tall fire storage tank at the West Valley Demonstration Project in accordance with National Fire Protection Association requirements.

The divers from BIDCO Marine Group of Buffalo, New York performed all work in accordance with National Fire Protection Association requirements. The inspections and cleaning were done on the exterior and interior of the 55-year-old tank, and the divers took video recordings of their work underwater.

They took readings of the tank’s thickness and pitted their measurements against existing structural condition reports to determine if the tank needs to be repaired or replaced. Inspections took place on the tank roof, shell, bottom, roof support column, tank foundation, and other areas. Results of the inspections are pending.

Prior to the inspections and cleaning, EM crews prepared emergency rescue protocols. The divers then entered the tank to check for water clarity and debris buildup before determining the best plan for the inspections and cleaning.

-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere

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Local Students Measure Health of Savannah River by its Biodiversity

Students from South Aiken High School participate in the Science Technology Enrichment Program at the Savannah River Site, netting small aquatic creatures and testing pond water to learn more about freshwater ecosystems.

AIKEN, S.C. – Local students trade classrooms for the trees and waterways of the Savannah River Site (SRS) by participating in several science experiments focused on environmental stewardship.

Through the Science Technology Enrichment Program (STEP), they collect water samples and tiny aquatic creatures from the site's Fire Water Pond. Using biodiversity as a measure, they evaluate the health of the water and the insects and animals.

“Savannah River Nuclear Solutions offers several educational programs to area students at no charge,” said Kim Mitchell, STEP program coordinator in the education outreach programs of SRNS, the site’s managing and operating contractor. “However, this is the only program where the kids actually visit SRS. They get out into the woods and get their hands dirty enjoying environmental science projects.”

STEP partners with the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, drawing from techniques pioneered by the late Dr. Ruth Patrick, the first scientist to diagnose the health of a river or stream by studying plant and animal life.

The Atomic Energy Commission, DOE’s predecessor agency, assigned Patrick to collect data on the water quality and life found in the Savannah River prior to the opening of the Savannah River Plant in the early 1950s. Students follow in the footsteps of Patrick to collect vertebrate and invertebrate creatures, using biodiversity as a health indicator for freshwater ecosystems at SRS.

"For kids who are thinking about being a scientist, these experiments will help them truly understand what science is like out in the real world instead of just hearing about it in a classroom," South Aiken High School (SAHS) senior Maggie Volk said. "I think it's cool that the people providing all the materials and putting all the effort into these activities really care about us and want to make this a good learning experience."

Field trips at SRS provide educational experiences focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By partnering with area teachers, the program emphasizes the role of science teachers as educational leaders in the schools and community.

Melanie Fischer, a SAHS senior, said she enjoyed taking part in the environmental science experiments at SRS.

"I've known for a while that I've wanted to be involved in marine biology and environmental science. And, this experience has really cemented that decision," she said.

-Contributor: DT Townsend

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