November 9, 2021 – Significant achievements at EM cleanup sites such as the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), Hanford, Oak Ridge, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) highlight EM’s mission progress in recent months, Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Nicole Nelson-Jean told an industry conference last week.

Nelson-John was the keynote speaker at the 2021 RadWaste Summit, held in Las Vegas. Nelson-Jean delivered her remarks in a recorded video. Link to update

November 4, 2021 – A citizen advisory group following nuclear waste cleanup activities at the West Valley Demonstration Project will request a presentation prior to accepting an invitation to join Erie County’s Climate Resilience planning effort.

The group met in an Oct. 27th virtual session to discuss this and other topics related to the ongoing cleanup and a Phase 2 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on decommissioning of the former commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing center. The site covers 200 acres and was built in the 1960’s to recycle spent nuclear fuel, but was shut down after only a few years.

CTF members received an update from Department of Energy officials and consultants on the ongoing cleanup efforts. Link to article

November 4, 2021 – A leak of radioactive liquid from a container being moved at the West Valley Demonstration Project site on Monday triggered activation of the site’s Emergency Operations Center.

Kelly Wooley, deputy general manager for CHBWV, the contractor in the cleanup at the West Valley Demonstration Project, said liquid was seen leaking from a sure‐pack container that was being moved about 2 p.m.

“The operation stopped and the area was secured,” Wooley told members of the West Valley Citizens Task Force Wednesday at the group’s monthly meeting, held via ZOOM video due to COVID‐19 restrictions.

Liquid was spotted on the container, on the trailer that was transporting it and on the ground. The area was isolated, but it was rainy. Sandbags and absorbent pads were placed over the area to limit migration. Link to article

October 29, 2021 – A leak of radioactive liquid from a container being moved at the West Valley Demonstration Project site on Monday triggered activation of the site’s Emergency Operations Center.

Kelly Wooley, deputy general manager for CHBWV, the contractor in the cleanup at the West Valley Demonstration Project, said liquid was seen leaking from a sure‐pack container that was being moved about 2 p.m.

“The operation stopped and the area was secured,” Wooley told members of the West Valley Citizens Task Force Wednesday at the group’s monthly meeting, held via ZOOM video due to COVID‐19 restrictions.

Liquid was spotted on the container, on the trailer that was transporting it and on the ground. The area was isolated, but it was rainy. Sandbags and absorbent pads were placed over the area to limit migration. Link to article

October 26, 2021 – Did you know that one of the most intensely radioactive sites in the world is located not far from Buffalo? Aside from its close proximity, the West Valley Nuclear Waste Site is also located upstream and upwind of Buffalo and the rest of NY, the Seneca Nation of Indians Territories, and Canada.

For years, activists and environmentalists have warned of the dangers found at the West Valley Nuclear Waste site, where highly radioactive nuclear power and weapons waste was reprocessed to extract plutonium and uranium. Now, there are additional fears that dangerous radioactivity could enter into our air, water, soil, food, etc., as a building – considered one of the most radioactive buildings at that site and across the country – is slated to be demolished in December 2021. Link to article