September 22, 2022 – Newly Elected U.S. Representative Joe Sempolinski tells us he’s hit the ground running in his first week at the Capitol. Link to article
Below are articles and other news published since the last West Valley Citizen Task Force Meeting. They relate to the West Valley Demonstration Project, nuclear waste cleanup or are otherwise relevant or of potential interest to stakeholders interested in the Project. After each Citizen Task Force Meeting, these articles are compiled into a single document and may be found with the meeting materials for that month.
September 22, 2022 – Newly Elected U.S. Representative Joe Sempolinski tells us he’s hit the ground running in his first week at the Capitol. Link to article
September 22, 2022 – An excavator took the first bite out of the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) on Wednesday in a “controlled deconstruction” of the structure over the next 30 months, the U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday.
Extensive measures are being used to prevent the potential spread of radioactive contamination and safety professionals will provide continuous monitoring and sampling during the deconstruction process, DOC officials said. Link to article
September 22, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) today released its EM Program Plan, a 2022 priority outlining a decision roadmap the cleanup program will use as a guide over the next two decades.
Click here [https://www.energy.gov/em/annual‐priorities‐strategic‐vision‐and‐program‐plan] to access the EM Program Plan.
“Cleanup progress has now reached a level that lets us focus on clearing the decks and tackling remaining hurdles to sustained success,” EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said at the National Cleanup Workshop today. “As the cleanup mission approaches a crossroads, we’re down to some of the toughest and most difficult challenges.” Link to News Flash
September 22, 2022 – The Department of Energy and its cleanup contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, LLC recently completed the relocation of eight, High‐ Integrity Containers contained within their concrete shield containers, ranging in weight from 68,000 to 80,000 pounds, from their location near the Main Plant Process Building at the West Valley Demonstration Project.
Each HIC contains water filtering materials from the former Fuel Receiving and Storage facility water treatment system. The FRS was historically used to receive and store spent nuclear fuel during fuel reprocessing operations from 1966 to 1972. Link to article
September 15, 2022 – The Department of Energy (DOE) and its prime contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project, completed the deactivation of the Ventilation Wash Room, which housed a ventilation “scrubber” that removed airborne particulates resulting from fuel reprocessing operations that ceased in 1972.
During deactivation, the scrubber was prepared for removal and will be removed during the future demolition of the Main Plant Process Building.
“The safe execution operations of this work is due to the combination of extensive planning, deliberate speed, and using worker feedback throughout the deactivation,” said Steve Bousquet Department of Energy federal project director for the demolition. “The WVDP team continues its strong commitment to safely protecting its workers, the public, and the environment while reducing legacy risks at the site.” Link to article
