Four SSAB members finish terms, recognized 
for service

Four members of the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board were recognized for their service at the June meeting as they completed their terms on the board. Two of them, Chuck Jensen and David Martin, completed three two-year terms and finished their work on the board as the current secretary and chair, respectively. Jan Hart and Tom Valunas each served one term and decided not to apply for second terms.

ORSSAB is a federally appointed citizens’ panel that provides independent advice and recommendations to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental Management, or EM, program to clean up portions of the Oak Ridge Reservation.

Susan Cange, the board’s deputy designated federal officer, thanked them for their service and presented them with plaques of appreciation. “These exceptional individuals have served in a wide variety of leadership positions both at the board and committee level, and they represent the very best example of selfless dedication to their communities,” she said. “I would especially like to thank Chuck and David, both of whom have completed the maximum six years service on the board.”

David Martin is a resident of Harriman. During his six years on the board he participated on the EM Committee (2011-13), the Stewardship Committee (2008-10), and the Board Finance and Process Committee (2008, 2012-13). He also represented the board at EM SSAB national chairs’ meetings, most recently in Paducah, Ky. (spring 2012), and Washington, DC (fall 2012). Martin was also active in reaching out to community leaders and media representatives educating them about ORSSAB and its mission.

“It has been an honor to serve on what I believe is the most helpful, productive, open federal citizens’ advisory committee in America,” he said. “I have learned so much while serving on the ORSSAB. Going forward, the experience should help me be a better environmental steward.”

Chuck Jensen lives in Knoxville and was a member of the EM Committee during his six years on the board. He served as the board’s secretary during fiscal years 2012-13. As board secretary, he also was a member of the Executive Committee during that time.

“I’ve enjoyed my time on the board a lot,” said Jensen. “The work that is done on the reservation holds a high degree of interest for me. The highlight of serving has been all of the presentations that have been given. It gives you a good understanding of how complex cleanup is. There are no simple solutions, but it’s good to see they are being addressed in an orderly manner. That in itself has been worth my entire service.”

Jan Hart, who lives in Andersonville, was a member of the board’s Public Outreach Committee during her term and served as the committee vice chair in 2013. “Serving on the ORSSAB has been a rewarding experience,” she said. “It has given me not only the opportunity to learn in depth about the issues and challenges surrounding the EM program, but also the privilege of meeting a dedicated group of exceptional people who work hard for the good of their community.”

Tom Valunas is an Oak Ridge resident. He served as vice chair of the Board Finance and Process Committee during 2012-13. He also was a member of the EM Budget and Prioritization Committee in 2012 before the committee became part of Board Finance and Process. That committee drafted recommendations on the DOE Oak Ridge EM budget requests to DOE EM Headquarters.

“I really appreciate having been given the opportunity by DOE to serve on the ORSSAB board the last two years,” said Valunas. “Participation on the board gave me a better appreciation for the challenges we 
face with the cleanup and the dedicated efforts so many people are putting into getting the cleanup completed in a professional manner. I believe that each and every member contributed and that the board serves the community well.”

ORSSAB meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the DOE Information Center in the Office of Science and Technical Information at 1 Science.gov Way on the east side of Oak Ridge, fronting the 100 block of Oak Ridge Turnpike. Additional information about the board is available at www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab or by calling (865) 241-4583 or 241-4584.