  Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis, second from right, explains operations of the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility at EM’s Portsmouth Site during a tour with Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Manager Joel Bradburne, far left, Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk, third from left, and EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery, third from right.
PIKE COUNTY, Ohio – Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk, EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery and Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Assistant Secretary Katy Huff visited the Portsmouth Site last week, where they viewed land parcels recently transferred for new economic development opportunities for the community.
“This was the perfect time for this group to see the importance of an ongoing synergy between EM cleanup, NE initiatives and the community’s future vision for the site,” EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Manager Joel Bradburne said.
Joined by Bradburne and Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis, the DOE officials also viewed cleanup progress at the site near Piketon, Ohio.
 EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery addresses employees at the Portsmouth Site during the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office's recent 20th anniversary celebration.
It was the second time in three weeks that Avery visited the Portsmouth Site. In late September, he participated in PPPO’s 20th anniversary celebration at the Portsmouth Site. Avery’s September visit also included a tour of cleanup work and a meeting with representatives from the Portsmouth Site Specific Advisory Board, United Steel Workers Local 689 and Tri-State Building Trades.
“It was a pleasure to host Jeff Avery and others from the Office of Environmental Management at our site,” Davis said. “The cleanup progress is constantly evolving, so there is always something new to see.”
-Contributor: Melissa Green
 A potential site for carbon pollution-free electricity projects at the Savannah River Site.
AIKEN, S.C. – DOE today issued a request for information (RFI) related to the Department’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative focused on generating clean energy on DOE owned lands at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina.
The RFI will help the Department identify organizations interested in leasing land at SRS from the federal government to develop utility-scale, carbon pollution-free electricity projects (CFE). In late August, the Department issued an RFI to help identify organizations interested in leasing land at the Hanford Site in Washington state for these projects.
Also today, DOE issued an RFI to identify industry partners interested in developing commercial clean energy projects on DOE land in eastern Idaho. DOE is considering leasing land located on the 890-square-mile Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site. The Department is also holding a Cleanup to Clean Energy Information Day at INL on Oct. 25, and inviting leaders in nuclear energy, wind, solar, geothermal, net-zero microgrids, and other clean energy technologies to participate. Attendees will have a chance to learn more about the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, the RFI and the INL site.
America’s energy security, economic resilience and climate leadership require the nation to dramatically increase clean energy production over the next several decades. DOE is playing a critical leadership role in achieving this goal, not only through policy implementation but also the strategic use of DOE federal facilities and lands.
Working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including industry, federal entities, tribes, state, and local officials, DOE will explore opportunities to lease federal land for the buildout of large-scale clean energy projects. Cleanup to Clean Energy will help achieve President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate goals and the directive in Executive Order 14057 for agencies to use their properties for the development of new clean electricity generation.
“As the leading federal agency on clean energy research, development, deployment, and demonstration, DOE has both a unique opportunity and a clear responsibility to lead by example and identify creative solutions to achieve the president’s mandate,” EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said.
In July, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative at the Department’s first industry day under this initiative. SRS, which is one of several EM sites engaged in environmental cleanup across the United States, is supporting efforts to reach the CFE goals. DOE recognizes the local community is well suited and prepared to support these critical issues.
At SRS, DOE has identified approximately 13,200 acres of land that could potentially be used for industrial activities, including CFE generation and storage. DOE may decide to lease part or all the available land for CFE, or award leases to one or multiple entities for CFE. Potential CFE projects include solar, wind and nuclear projects.
DOE will continue to communicate and partner with industry, tribal nations, communities, stakeholders, regulators and others as a process to potentially develop clean energy projects on DOE land is developed and implemented.
Additional information about the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative can be found here.
Click here to read the latest RFI related to the Department’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative at SRS.
 State-of-the-art gas-flow meters are among new industrial controls at EM’s two depleted uranium hexafluoride conversion plants near Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Recent upgrades to EM’s facilities that convert depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) to more stable compounds for reuse or disposal are delivering improved safety, reliability, operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
New industrial controls — including state-of-the-art gas-flow meters and hydrogen-fluoride detection systems — are part of ongoing and planned improvements at EM’s two DUF6 conversion plants near Portsmouth, Ohio and Paducah, Kentucky.
Joel Bradburne, manager of EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO), said several additional equipment upgrades to both DUF6 conversion facilities are planned to further increase operational reliability, efficiency, throughput and worker safety in coming years.
“Plant upgrades will shave years off the time it would otherwise take to achieve disposition of this country’s DUF6 inventory,” Bradburne said. “And more importantly, they will help protect our workers and the environment in and around the conversion facilities.”
EM designed and built the unique conversion plants, first commissioned in 2010 and 2011, to address the Cold War environmental legacy of more than 700,000 metric tons of DUF6 that accumulated over more than five decades at U.S. gaseous diffusion plant (GDP) sites.
“Plant upgrades will shave years off the time it would otherwise take to achieve disposition of this country’s DUF6 inventory.”
-Joel Bradburne, manager of EM’s Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office
Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) is the compound from which fissionable uranium isotopes are separated and concentrated by gaseous diffusion to enrich uranium. Precise measurement of depleted UF6 gas fed into the conversion process is vital for maintaining optimal plant operation, according to Dutch Conrad, president of Mid-America Conversion Services (MCS), DUF6 operations and maintenance contractor.
“It helps maintain correct stoichiometry (relative chemical balance), resulting in superior oxide products today — and setting the stage for future advancements,” he said.
The new rotational-equilibrium flowmeters replaced the original thermal-dispersion mass flowmeters installed during plant construction, Conrad said. In addition to improved accuracy, the new flowmeters provide additional valuable data, such as gas density, that can greatly assist in troubleshooting process-related issues. And more efficiency upgrades are coming, he added.
“With additional efforts such as powder sampling and process optimization, the potential for achieving even higher plant throughput becomes a realistic possibility,” Conrad said.
 EM crews installed new electrochemical-cell toxic gas detectors to address concerns regarding reliability and nuisance alarms with the depleted uranium hexafluoride conversion plants’ original hydrogen fluoride detectors.
The DUF6 plants also rely on dependable hydrogen fluoride (HF) detection systems. A co-product of the conversion process, HF is a potential health and safety hazard if released. To address concerns regarding reliability and nuisance alarms with the plants’ original HF detectors, MCS installed new electrochemical-cell toxic gas detectors.
As a result, process disruptions have decreased while earlier HF detection has been enabled. Existing automatic-shutdown features remain in the event of a considerable HF release in the conversion system, so the recent upgrades add another layer of safety, Conrad said.
-Contributors: Kearney Ackermann, Brad Mitzelfelt
 Brad Smith, second from right, president and general manager for EM legacy cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos, explains the different types of waste and locations at Technical Area 21 (TA-21). At the height of Cold War operations, Los Alamos National Laboratory’s TA-21 contained a complex of 125 buildings that housed a plutonium processing facility and served as the site for groundbreaking tritium research for energy, environment, and weapons defense research.
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. – New Mexico state and local government officials toured EM legacy cleanup projects at Technical Area 21 and Middle DP Road Site near downtown Los Alamos late last month.
Attendees included Los Alamos County elected officials and staff; New Mexico state Sen. Leo Jaramillo; and representatives from the offices of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Rep. Teresa Ledger Fernandez.
 Building 21-257, the former Radiological Liquid Waste Facility, is the last remaining permanent building to be demolished at Technical Area 21 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Current work scope for legacy cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos includes as a priority the characterization and planning for deactivation and decommissioning of Building 21‐257 and the further characterization of waste transfer lines between buildings.
 EM field work at the Middle DP Road Site has been completed. Remaining site work includes removing a small amount of construction debris and completing a Solid Waste Management Unit Assessment Report, which will be submitted to the New Mexico Environment Department by the end of 2023.
 Employees with Hanford Site contractor Washington River Protection Solutions attend training on worker health and safety that provided information on mental health and well-being.
RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Office of River Protection tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) is adding mental health awareness to its industrial safety and health conversation on the Hanford Site.
A small team of WRPS employees recently completed training on the “Question, Persuade, Refer” (QPR) Program that equips the workforce with mental health awareness and suicide prevention tools.
“This issue has affected me personally,” said Traci Pomrankey, WRPS human resources fieldwork supervisor. “Mental health and well-being are difficult issues that are important to talk about; everyone needs hope. The QPR training provides us with tools to identify people who may need help. We can reach out and connect with them, providing information for resources they might need.”
Suicide ranks among the leading causes of death in the U.S., and the construction industry faces an alarming suicide rate: nearly 2 ½ times higher than the average for other industries, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Science blog.
“Mental health and well-being will remain a focal point as we strive to enhance awareness and resources related to worker health and safety.”
-Frank Sullivan, Washington River Protection Solutions
“Mental health and well-being will remain a focal point as we strive to enhance awareness and resources related to worker health and safety,” said Frank Sullivan, WRPS Environmental, Safety, Health & Quality division deputy manager. “We are providing these crucial tools to our workforce, emphasizing that mental health affects our lives daily. Through positive connections, we can offer hope and potentially save lives.”
In addition to creating the QPR Program and training, the WRPS Industrial Hygiene division provides its employees with mental health and well-being information and resources available through the Hanford Site’s occupational medical provider. These resources include access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which can be reached at 988 for 24/7 assistance, or online at 988lifeline.org.
-Contributor: Denise Mellene
 UCOR chemical operator apprentices Haley Glandon and Alyssa Pierce, both seated, work at the Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) cleanup contractor UCOR has boosted its ability to recruit chemical operators through a recent partnership with Roane State Community College.
UCOR partnered with the local college in the joint Chemical Engineering Technology Program, which prepares students for careers as chemical operators. Since the program started in 2020, UCOR has hired 13 graduates who are supporting nuclear operations cleanup projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
“We’re a strong advocate for this program because we rely on an ample supply of well-trained chemical operators for successful completion of the cleanup mission,” said Mike Sensibaugh, operations manager for UCOR’s ORNL nuclear operations group.
He says students gain requisite knowledge through their Roane State courses and on-the-job training. Students work part time during the school year and accept full-time jobs upon graduation. They become fully qualified after graduation and completion of UCOR final training exams.
Roane State Community College President Chris Whaley noted UCOR’s commitment to the partnership and the impact the company has on students.
“Few companies in Roane State’s 10-county service area have actively supported student success and workforce development in the many ways that UCOR has,” Whaley said. “Their team is truly making a difference in the lives of our students, while they are in school and in career opportunities after graduation.”
 The Tennessee Board of Regents recently recognized the UCOR and Roane State Community College (RSCC) partnership with its 2023 Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition Partnership Award. The award honors organizations that have demonstrated a new and innovative approach of working across sectors to solve a regional or local challenge. From left: Chris Whaley, RSCC president; Len Morgan, UCOR labor relations manager; Charlie Malarkey, UCOR administrative services manager; and Russ Deaton, Tennessee Board of Regents.
The chemical operator program is one of several collaborations UCOR has established with Roane State.
UCOR also expanded its partnership with Roane State to include a new apprenticeship effort with the college’s Environmental Health Technology Program. Jump-started with a donation for new equipment for the school’s lab facilities, the initiative features guest lectures and introduces students to the latest radiation simulation technology.
UCOR’s radiological protection training team and others with the company host students to give them real world experience without hazardous exposure and provide information about employment opportunities.
“Learning in a more hands-on way, rather than in the classroom, really benefits us,” Roane State student Regan Guillement said during a recent visit to UCOR’s training facilities. “It allows us to learn better and get more involved."
The radiological training laboratory instruments simulate actual radiation meters but use radio frequency to simulate the radiation. Students get a chance to interact with staff members to help them navigate the industry. Trainers also use hands-on instructing so students are engaged and receive increased understanding of the tools they will use in their trade.
-Contributors: Michael Butler, Wayne McKinney
 Government and industry representatives meet with small businesses to discuss business opportunities during the Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association Business Opportunities & Technical Conference.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC) recently organized over 200 “matchmaking” meetings with more than 98 small businesses that shared their capabilities with 22 government and industry representatives and learned about EM prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities.
EMCBC hosted the second-ever EM Small Business Thursday event as part of the Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) Business Opportunities & Technical Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee.
 Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center Director Jack Zimmerman provides opening remarks for EM Small Business Thursday at the Energy Technology and Environmental Business Association Business Opportunities & Technical Conference.
A mix of government and industry entities took part in the small-business outreach event, from the DOE Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and DOE Savannah River Operations Office to EM cleanup contractors such as CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, Idaho Environmental Coalition and Four River Nuclear Partnership. The U.S. General Services Administration and the Savannah and Nashville districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also participated.
EMCBC Director Jack Zimmerman emphasized the importance such events have in helping EM achieve its procurement equity and outreach goals.
“EM is committed to the Department’s Small Business First Policy to foster a dynamic business environment for the small business community,” Zimmerman said. “The EMCBC is dedicated to promoting inclusiveness in DOE-EM activities by advancing initiatives that attract the innovation and creativity of small business and greatly appreciates ETEBA’s partnership in supporting increased small business outreach and engagement.”
 Representatives from the DOE Supply Chain Management Center, Idaho Environmental Coalition and the DOE Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization present opportunities at western sites in the DOE complex.
Following the matchmaking session, EM presented two panel discussions focused on business opportunities from its eastern and western sites in the DOE complex.
ETEBA is a non-profit trade association representing more than 200 small, large and mid-sized companies and affiliate members that provide environmental, technology, energy, engineering, construction and related services to government and commercial clients.
-Contributor: Aaron Deckard
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) traveled to this year’s National Cleanup Workshop in Arlington, Virginia, to provide comprehensive coverage for its monthly newscast. The team spoke with elected officials and government and business leaders supporting EM’s cleanup to learn more about the most important issues facing cleanup across the DOE complex. Watch to learn more about EM’s priorities, key regulatory partnerships, efforts to attract top talent, new energy opportunities and an inside look at the federal budget process.
 Seanan Handwork poses with his catch of the day alongside professional bass angler Brandon Cobb during the Outdoor Dream Foundation Ultimate Fishing Challenge at the Savannah River Site.
NEW ELLENTON, S.C. – An inaugural fishing challenge at the Savannah River Site (SRS) helped make dreams come true for kids and families suffering from chronic or terminal illnesses as they fished alongside professional bass anglers.
While fishing events like this aren’t new to the site, this one was special and a first. The U.S. Forest Service, DOE-SRS and the Outdoor Dream Foundation sponsored the outdoor adventure for 25 participants who caught and released fish with the expert anglers.
“We are so thrilled to partner with Outdoor Dream Foundation to help make a dream come true for someone who has never had the opportunity to go out on the water and catch a fish,” said Thomas Mims, wildlife biologist for the Forest Service–Savannah River. “Making dreams come true is why we do these events. Giving a little something back because we can.”
 Outdoor Dream Foundation Ultimate Fishing Challenge participants gather prior to the first-of-a-kind event’s conclusion at the Savannah River Site.
Public access to SRS is limited for security concerns. Events such as this recent fishing challenge and other wildlife hunts offer selected participants a special glimpse at the results of over 70 years of natural resource management efforts undertaken by the Forest Service–Savannah River. Throughout the 18-year history of combined Forest Service and DOE hunting and fishing outreach events, over 450 participants have been granted access to SRS hunting and fishing opportunities.
Other sponsors of past events include the National Wild Turkey Federation, Aiken Sertoma Club, and SRS contractors Savannah River Nuclear Solutions and Centerra Security.
“This catch-and-release fishing event coordinated by the U.S. Forest Service is another illustration of SRS’s commitment to cleaning up the site and partnering with our local communities,” said Jimmy McMillian, assistant manager for Infrastructure and Environmental Stewardship, DOE-Savannah River Operations Office. “Through years of dedicated cleanup actions, we can safely share enjoyment of these natural resources. The countless smiles and memories made at this event are especially rewarding.”
To learn more about the Forest Service–Savannah River or recreational events hosted throughout the year on SRS, contact Public Affairs Specialist Joe Orosz at josef.orosz@usda.gov or call (530) 440-9741.
-Contributors: Roger Metz, Joe Orosz
 Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer Tristan Mathis, center, speaks with a student at a Murray State University career expo for students from the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and occupational safety and health fields.
PADUCAH, Ky. – Cleanup contractors at EM’s Paducah Site engaged with the next-generation workforce at a Murray State University career fair for students from the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and occupational safety and health (OSH) fields.
EM deactivation and remediation contractor Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership (FRNP) took the opportunity at the university in Murray, Kentucky, to recruit interns and build on the success of the internship program at the Paducah Site.
FRNP and the other site contractors have made a concerted effort to recruit and retain talent through the internship program to ensure the best and brightest in the region continue to support EM’s mission at the Paducah Site.
“Recruiting the next generation of employees in the STEM and occupational safety and health fields is a high priority for DOE across the complex,” Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Manager Joel Bradburne said. “The internship programs at the Paducah Site provides an opportunity for students to gain experience that hopefully translates into a full time career with DOE or our contractors.”
FRNP Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer Tristan Mathis began her career at the Paducah Site as an intern in 2019.
“My internship sparked an interest for me to want to come back (to the site) and learn more,” said Mathis. “Everyone I worked with during my internship contributed to my professional growth and staying local was important to me, so when I had an opportunity to apply for a full-time position, I took it.”
Mathis and many other interns have leveraged the knowledge and experience they acquired during their internship to pursue other opportunities at the site.
“The internship program brings plenty of enthusiasm for our employees,” said FRNP Program Manager Myrna Redfield. “Internships are one of the tools we use for workforce development at FRNP as we continue to see young students want to come back and work at the site.”
Internships at the Paducah Site provide students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to practical tasks and project activities while learning from a team of experienced professionals. Click here to apply for future internships at the site.
-Contributor: Dylan Nichols
 Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) employees attended the recent Voluntary Protection Program Participants' Association symposium in Orlando, Florida. From left, Lohman Hafenrichter, Chris Kisner, Jasmine Allen, Lorenzo Rouse, Nikki Alston, Rachel Hafenrichter, Ronald Robinson, Justin Burns, and Mark Schweder (not pictured: William Seagroves).
AIKEN, S.C. – EM’s liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has received acknowledgment from DOE’s Office of Environment, Health, Safety & Security that safety remains at the core of the contractor’s values.
DOE accepted Savannah River Mission Completion’s (SRMC) application to be certified as a DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) participant. SRMC has been the liquid waste contractor for EM at SRS since February 2022.
SRMC is among 12 contractors across the DOE complex that the VPP recently recognized for going above and beyond the basic requirements of its safety and health regulations, orders and standards.
Contractors are eligible to be VPP participants if they meet specific safety-related criteria, such as injury rates meeting the DOE standard of 50% below industry average and performing mentoring and outreach activities. Participants also exemplify the five VPP elements: management leadership, employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.
SRMC President and Program Manager Dave Olson said he is proud of SRMC’s effort to become VPP certified, as the application development was a dedication of more than 17 SRMC team members working together across multiple disciplines.
“At Savannah River Mission Completion, safety is not just a priority — it’s our top core value,” Olson said. “Priorities may change based on business needs, but values never change. That means we understand the effort it takes to keep safety at the forefront of all we do. We will continue to be intentional in our safety programs and represent the elements of the Voluntary Protection Program well.”
SRMC was one of six EM contractors that received the Legacy of Stars award, which is awarded to sites that would have achieved the Star of Excellence award for a fourth consecutive year. The Star of Excellence is awarded to sites that maintain an injury and illness rate at least 75% below the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average, meet annual VPP goals, actively mentor other companies and demonstrate strong community involvement.
VPP presented the following awards to EM contractors across the DOE complex:
The Superior Star recognizes a leader in safety and health performance that has achieved a consistently superior level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals, actively conducting outreach to others, and achieving an injury and illness rate significantly below the average of similar businesses and operations. The Superior Star was awarded to:
- Hanford Laboratory Management and Integration, Hanford Site
- Waste Treatment Completion Company, Hanford Site
The Star of Excellence: Through their full dedication and total commitment to the principles of VPP, recipients of the Star of Excellence have achieved an outstanding level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals, actively conducting outreach to others, and achieving an injury and illness rate significantly below the average of similar businesses and operations. The Star of Excellence went to:
The Legacy of Stars: Through their full dedication and total commitment to the principles of VPP, recipients of this award have continued to achieve an outstanding level of performance in meeting established safety and health goals. The Legacy of Stars was awarded to:
- Central Plateau Cleanup Company, Hanford Site
- Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, Mission Support Contract, Hanford Site
- North Wind Dynamics, Portsmouth Site
- Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Savannah River Site
- Savannah River Mission Completion, Savannah River Site
- Washington River Protection Solutions, Hanford Site
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