RICHLAND, Wash. – The EM Office of River Protection (ORP) and contractor Bechtel National, Inc. have completed construction of the last of 94 systems in the Low-Activity Waste (LAW) Facility at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP).
“Workers continue to make good progress at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant,” said Tom Fletcher, assistant manager for WTP at ORP. “Completing construction and startup testing of systems at the LAW Facility is another important step in our preparations to treat tank waste at Hanford.”
The systems include a mechanical line for moving empty containers below melters where they will be filled with tank waste that has been vitrified, or immobilized in glass.
This video shows WTP crews testing the LAW Facility container handling system.
As construction of the systems has been completed, they have been turned over to a startup testing team to ensure they work properly prior to commissioning. Of the 94 LAW Facility systems, about a third of them have been tested and handed over to plant management for commissioning.
The LAW Facility is the size of one-and-a-half football fields and houses two large melters. The melters will vitrify low-activity tank waste that will be pretreated to remove cesium and solids at the tank farms and fed directly to the LAW Facility. The approach, called Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste, is a system of interdependent projects and infrastructure improvements, managed and highly integrated as a program, that must operate together successfully to vitrify Hanford’s low-activity tank waste.
The next goal for completing construction and turning over WTP facilities to startup testing is the LAW Facility itself, and EM and Bechtel are expected to reach that goal in the next few weeks.
Earlier this year, WTP staff finished startup testing at the plant’s Analytical Laboratory, which will analyze up to 3,000 samples of waste each year to make sure it meets disposal requirements. Another 14 support facilities that provide utilities such as power, compressed air, and steam are near the end of startup testing and are nearly ready for commissioning.
Startup testing verifies that the equipment and systems are functional and in safe working order before being handed over to plant management for commissioning. The commissioning phase ensures the utilities, equipment, and process systems are integrated and ready to support future DFLAW operations.
“The perseverance of our entire team this year has been amazing to get where we are today,” said Valerie McCain, project director and senior vice president of Bechtel. “This accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without our entire team’s commitment to quality, safety, and progress.”
-Contributor: George Rangel
EM Makes Historic Progress on Cleanup Mission in 2020
A snapshot of EM cleanup progress across the DOE complex in 2020.
Local Tribes Use History, Experience to Help Solve Revegetation Challenges in Nevada
LAS VEGAS – The Consolidated Group of Tribes and Organizations (CGTO) — a collection of 16 Native American tribes with cultural and historical ties to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) — is helping solve a unique challenge at the NNSS, using traditional ecological knowledge and thousands of years of history in a collaborative effort to revegetate portions of the site’s complex terrain.
At the request of the EM Nevada Program, the CGTO is working to develop recommendations to help revegetate 92 acres of land at the NNSS Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC). That complex is dedicated to the permanent disposal of low-level and mixed low-level radioactive waste generated at DOE sites.
“Thanks and appreciation for the support, wisdom, and knowledge offered by the CGTO and its members,” EM Nevada Program Manager Rob Boehlecke said. “The historical and present-day contributions of these tribes have done so much to enhance EM's mission at the NNSS for the benefit of the people, communities, and environment across the state of Nevada.”
A view of the revegetation portions of the Nevada National Security Site Radioactive Waste Management Complex acreage.
In this June 2019 photo, members of the Tribal Revegetation Committee and Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) crews discuss the growth and revegetation efforts at the NNSS Radioactive Waste Management Complex acreage. Starting in the fall of 2011, NNSS crews began attempting to revegetate portions of the RWMC. Despite frequent irrigation, varying seeding methods, and use of mulch, numerous efforts to reestablish vegetation were unsuccessful. The CGTO agreed to provide guidance using traditional ecological knowledge formed from thousands of years of experience with the lands on and around the NNSS. A Tribal Revegetation Committee (TRC) comprised of six members of the CGTO was formed to provide guidance and cultural insights. After several meetings and visits to the NNSS, the TRC provided several approaches for incorporating tribal perspectives in revegetating the site. Their proposals included four different revegetation treatments during two planting seasons, along with four transplant treatments during two planting seasons. In December 2017 and April 2018, seeds and transplants were planted at the site using these approaches. Tribal personnel have monitored progress once a month by counting, measuring, and photographing growth. So far, the revegetation test plots have shown promise. The metrics set at the beginning of the project by Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP), TRC, and Desert Research Institute were determined to not be consistent with the natural environment of the NNSS. New success metrics will be negotiated with NDEP and a report detailing the results will be available in March 2021. The EM Nevada Program will use this report to help determine the path forward for the RWMC, as well as broader future revegetation applications at the NNSS. -Contributor: Michelle French Stakeholders Discuss Technical Subjects as Los Alamos Workgroup Marks First YearLOS ALAMOS, N.M. – EM’s Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) and its cleanup contractor N3B hosted a virtual meeting last week with stakeholders to discuss progress to remediate and close Cold War-era waste disposal sites at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Formed in January this year, the Technical Working Group (TWG) is a public workgroup where stakeholders can obtain technical details of upcoming cleanup decisions and monitoring data associated with EM’s legacy cleanup at LANL. At the Dec. 9 meeting, the workgroup focused on design criteria for a landfill cap. EM-LA is responsible for remediation and closure of a number of waste disposal sites at LANL. “The TWG is a key component of our stakeholder engagement efforts,” said EM-LA Manager Kirk Lachman. “These monthly meetings enable EM-LA to have an ongoing and substantive dialog with a wide range of stakeholders on the technical aspects of our legacy cleanup efforts.” The TWG consists of stakeholders from communities and pueblos surrounding LANL. Participants include elected officials, members of the public, and staff from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). Throughout the past year, the TWG meetings have focused on EM-LA legacy cleanup priorities, including the Compliance Order on Consent milestones and major environmental remediation activities. That order is an enforceable agreement between NMED and DOE for legacy waste cleanup at LANL. “The TWG is invaluable as it allows EM-LA, N3B, and NMED to engage with the public on the technical details of upcoming decisions,” said Joe Legare, N3B vice president. “The working group members’ commitment to this dialogue during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the shared value of this forum in addressing the technical issues underlying critical cleanup issues.” -Contributor: Steven Horak |
Oak Ridge Uses GPS Technology to Remediate Former Oil Tank Farm |
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – EM crews at Oak Ridge have laid protective soil over a 9-acre parcel at East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) where an oil tank farm once sat, and they’re preparing 21 acres of adjacent land for soil cover to improve site drainage.
The oil tank farm, which operated in the 1940s and 1950s, was used to house fuel for the former K-770 Powerhouse. That facility powered early operations at the former uranium enrichment site.
The tank farm was dismantled in the mid-1950s. Asbestos on the tanks and piping was buried at the site. Years ago workers attempted to remove the buried asbestos but not all of it could be located. The new soil cover is intended to prevent future exposure of any remaining asbestos.
“With core cleanup completed at ETTP, including removal of all unnecessary buildings, the focus at the site is on soil remediation,” said James Daffron, acting ETTP portfolio federal project director. “The protective soil layer over K-770 will reduce site risks as ETTP continues its transformation to a multi-use industrial park, national park, and conservation area.”
A 1949 photo shows the former K-770 Powerhouse and oil tank farm.
Crews place soil cover at a former oil tank farm site that once supported the K-770 Powerhouse.
Oak Ridge and its cleanup contractor, UCOR, used innovative GPS technology in the K-770 remediation project to establish proper drainage of the tract while ensuring a 2-foot soil cover.
The precise GPS technology helped workers place soil over the site’s various contours. The system was installed in a handheld device as well as the bulldozer used in the project. The system maps out contours and informs the operator of how much soil is needed to achieve desired contours. This practice allows for appropriate drainage on the site.
“This technology allowed UCOR to use less dirt because it provided essential information that allowed appropriate mapping and coverage of the site,” said Ken Whittle, UCOR project manager. “We precisely followed the contours and were able to consistently place the cover at the right depth, saving time and the cost of additional fill dirt.”
Workers then seeded the site to create a grassy field.
UCOR is now removing vegetation from the adjacent 21-acre area, which was once used as a scrapyard. That work prepares the site for soil coverage, which allows for proper drainage. Removal of the scrap was completed in 2007, and workers excavated and removed contaminated soil.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
EM Launches Redesigned Virtual Museum on History of Portsmouth Site
A revamped website on the history of the Portsmouth Site updates the story of the historic plant’s impact through the years.
PIKE COUNTY, Ohio – EM recently launched a remodeled version of its popular virtual museum website covering the history of the Portsmouth Site.
“The updated website is an incredible, interactive timeline of the Portsmouth Site,” said Jeff Bettinger, EM site lead for the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office. “Not only can you learn more about the work over the years, but you see how the Department of Energy’s decision to build in southern Ohio impacted the growth of the region from population, to housing, to operations, to current day. It is an amazing story filled with neighbors, friends, and even family from across the generations. The story continues to grow and so does this website as we move forward.”
The website was first launched in 2012 and has attracted more than 46,000 visitors from 134 countries around the world. The site currently has information, pictures, and videos from 22 different buildings, including some that have already been demolished as part of ongoing decontamination and decommissioning.
Other features include a virtual tour, oral histories from retirees and community members, photos dating back to plant construction, old films and local TV news coverage, and even an employee newsletter archive dating back to the early 1950s. The newly enhanced virtual museum is also now viewable on all mobile devices.
-Contributor: Jack Williams
Hanford Medical Contractor Pivots to Provide Flu Shots During Pandemic
Nurses prepare flu vaccines and rosters at a Hanford Site drive-up flu clinic.
RICHLAND, Wash. – Each year, the Hanford Site occupational medical services contractor provides influenza, or flu, immunizations for contractor and EM employees at more than a dozen clinics in buildings around the 580-square-mile site.
However, this year the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to those traditional worksite flu clinics organized by HPMC Occupational Medical Services.
Medical staff quickly reimagined how to safely provide flu vaccines within COVID-19 safety protocols as use of large conference rooms, with employees lining up in hallways, was not an option.
Instead, the staff conducted drive-up flu clinics at several centrally-located parking lots, giving 2,085 flu shots from Oct. 13 through Nov. 11. Workers can still get a flu shot in the medical clinics through early spring.
Workers stayed in their vehicles at the drive-up clinics, and medical workers adhered to physical distancing safety limits while administering the vaccines.
“The necessity to change the way things normally operate has been a theme for 2020, and the worksite flu clinics were no exception,” said Bessie Ang, director of HPMC nursing services. “With the teamwork and collaboration of the staff and other Hanford contractors, the campaign was successful in helping to protect the health and well-being of the Hanford workforce.”
HPMC noted several lessons learned from the drive-up flu clinics. Challenges included traffic control and weather. Fall in Eastern Washington means unpredictable temperatures and wind. High winds caused two clinics to close early to keep staff, workers, supplies, and materials safe.
-Contributor: Jill Harvill
West Valley Conducts Virtual Exercise to Prepare for Emergency Incidents
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – EM and its cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) conducted a training exercise with local emergency response agencies, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on a hypothetical emergency, the exercise tested the skills and response of the local agencies and WVDP’s security force and operational response team. Participants were tested on their ability to minimize the scenario’s potential impact to employees, the public, and the environment. Representatives from Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, Cattaraugus County Special Response Team, and West Valley Volunteer Hose Fire and Rescue took part in the event.
“We understand the importance and benefit of having trained emergency responders working at West Valley,” EM WVDP Safety and Site Programs Team Leader Jennifer Dundas said. “We appreciate their continued commitment to training, and their effort to protect the health and safety of our workers and the public.”
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Emergency response personnel at the West Valley Demonstration Project participate in an exercise to evaluate their response to a hypothetical emergency incident. |
WVDP personnel helped develop the scenario and supported the exercise as controllers, which included coordinating tasks to make the exercise realistic and test the responders.
“You can never practice enough for emergencies,” said Kevin Murray, the event and emergency management manager for CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley. “We must always be learning, training, and evaluating our performance so that we can effectively handle whatever comes our way.”
Participants described actions they would take to minimize the mock incident’s impact. These discussions provided insight to the controllers and evaluators on whether the exercise’s objectives were being met, and helped them determine if the participants would effectively handle an emergency event. Participants received constructive feedback on areas for improvement.
“Disasters can occur at any time, and a knowledgeable, well-trained emergency response team can significantly improve the outcome of any event,” Murray said.
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
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