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.
August 30, 2022 – DOE and an association that helps worksites advance safety and health goals last week awarded several cleanup contractors across the EM complex — from Washington state and New Mexico to New York and South Carolina — for achievements in safety, health, innovation and outreach. Link to update
August 29, 2022 – Workers 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. Fixative has been applied to the room in preparation for the future demolition of the Main Plant Process Building. Link to article
August 28, 2022 – It is easy to forget that scenic Cattaraugus County destinations such as Zoar Valley, Ashford Hollow and Ellicottville are also located within 25 miles of the only privately owned nuclear fuel reprocessing center to have ever operated in the U.S.
Nuclear Fuel Services ran its plant in the town of Ashford from 1963 to 1972. After the reprocessing operations, no longer profitable, ceased, the company’s lease expired in 1980. Ashford – and anywhere else the toxic material could travel – was left with 600,000 gallons of liquid high-level nuclear waste. Link to editorial
August 27, 2022 – State Republican Chairman Nicholas Langworthy just completed a sprint in his GOP primary win over Carl Paladino in the new 23rd Congressional District.
He’s ready to begin the general election against Democrat Max Della Pia, the Tioga County Democratic chairman and expects to debate him — unlike Paladino’s refusal to debate Langworthy in the primary. “I think I have satisfied a lot of minds in the primary.” Link to article
August 25, 2022 – The Department of Energy and its prime contractor CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley completed the deactivation of the Product Purification Cell‐South, which contained very high levels of contamination from former nuclear fuel reprocessing operations. This effort has contributed to an overall reduction in radiological hazards that will support the demolition of the Main Plant Process Building, an DOE CY2022 Priority. Link to article
