September 29, 2020 – Due to COVID-19 restrictions that have slowed work for months at the West Valley Demonstration Project, the U.S. Department of Energy plans to begin the open air demolition of the Main Plant Process Building in 2021 rather than this year.

Kelly Wooley, deputy general manager of CH2M Hill BXWT West Valley, the main contractor of the nuclear cleanup at the former spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in the town of Ashford, said Wednesday the main plant is about 85% deactivated. Link to article

September 22, 2020 – EM and its stakeholder and industry partners have responded to COVID-19-related challenges that few if any could have foreseen just six months ago, according to participants at the National Cleanup Workshop.

Betsy Connell, EM’s Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs, and Dae Chung, Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Corporate Services, provided the federal perspective on a panel devoted to EM “hot topics,” including the pandemic response that was activated just shortly after the cleanup industry’s last major gathering, the Waste Management Symposia held in early March in Phoenix. Likewise, industry and community panelists talked about what’s on their plates in light of the current operating environment. Link to Update

September 17, 2020 – …. King also read a letter regarding the annual payment in lieu of taxes. The town has been allocated additional PILOT funds in the past and King urged the board to continue pushing to keep these additional funds to help the town and the residents.

“Senator [Cathy] Young said it like it is. If the intent of this supplement is only for one year and not annually, we have not gained a great deal of comfort. A lot of hard work has been put forth to get this state to recognize that the effect of their choice to take a large part of the Town of Ashford for the [West Valley] Demonstration Project has also put a large strain on the local taxpayers,” King said in the letter. “The State Legislators must realize that one time supplement will not ease our continued strain and this supplement must be an annual payment added to our existing PILOT and with future adjustments anticipated.” Link to article

September 10, 2020 – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will offer its annual deer hunting program at the Western New York Nuclear Service Center in the Town of Ashford Oct. 1 through Nov. 20. Approximately 1,500 acres will be open for hunting; participants must register for archery hunting online. Scouting will be available Sept. 19, 23 and 26; participants must register online for scouting. Crossbows will be allowed the last two weeks of archery season (Nov. 7 through 20). Link to article

September 10, 2020 – The United States Department of Energy (DOE) as operator of the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) has notified the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Department) of its intention to commence final closure of the Analytical and Process Chemistry (A&PC) Hot Cells at the WVDP facility in West Valley, NY 14171‐9799. Link to Notice