In the News

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.

Springville Journal – Public meeting scheduled on main plant process building demolition at WVDP

August 19, 2021 – The Ashford Town Board, at its Aug. 11 meeting, heard from Communications and External Affairs Manager Joseph Pillittere regarding a public meeting on the demolition of the main plant process building at the West Valley Demonstration Project.
The meeting will be Wednesday, Aug. 25 and will be held in two sessions from 5:30‐6:30 p.m. and 7‐8 p.m. at the West Valley Volunteer Hose Company Firemen’s Memorial Hall, located at 9085 Route 240 in West Valley. Due to COVID‐19 restrictions, people looking to attend must reserve a spot by contacting Pillittere… Link to article

EM Update -Nonprofit Awards EM Sites, Contractors for Purchases of Sustainable Goods

August 17, 2021 – A nonprofit that advocates for purchasing practices that improve the environment recently honored several EM sites and contractors for buying green products that are more energy efficient, less toxic, longer lasting, and easier to recycle. Link to Update

Springville/Ellicottville Pennysaver & News -WVDP presents checks for site support

July 17, 2021 – Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, LLC (CHBWV) presented checks on May 12 to Mercy Flight, West Valley Fire District #1, and Bertrand Chaffee Hospital on behalf of the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP).

These three organizations serve as valuable resources for WVDP employees and the surrounding community. Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and its staff provide medical support, Mercy Flight provides air ambulance service, and the West Valley Fire District volunteers provide fire and emergency services. Link to article

Springville Journal -West Valley resumes waste shipments by train following upgrades to rail line

July 15, 2021 – The Department of Energy and its cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project has resumed the use of a rail line to ship waste offsite this month.

“The resumption of rail shipments signals a new beginning for the WVDP and will bring many benefits to the future cleanup of the site,” WVDP Director Bryan Bower said. “This work today will help accelerate decommissioning and remediation activities in the very near future.”

WVDP worked with the Buffalo‐Pittsburgh Railroad Administration to rehabilitate the Western New York Nuclear Service Center rail spur and BPRR’s main line. Link to article

The Bradford Era – West Valley resumes shipping wastes by rail

July 9, 2021 – Shipments by rail of hazardous material and some low‐level radioactive waste have resumed at the West Valley Demonstration Project.

The nuclear cleanup at the nation’s only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing center in the town of Ashford has been ongoing since the early 1980s.

It is overseen by the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Sixty‐eight buildings have now been demolished and removed from the site to safe storage and disposal sites. Much of that waste was shipped by truck. Link to article