DOE Environmental Management has public meeting to discuss cleanup funding, strategy

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, or EM, is holding a public meeting to discuss the program’s fiscal year 2015 budget and cleanup priorities. The workshop, featuring Oak Ridge’s senior EM leadership, is scheduled from 4-6 p.m. April 23 at Pollard Auditorium.

“As taxpayer stewards, I think these public meetings are a responsible practice that increase transparency and explain our decision process,” said Mark Whitney, Oak Ridge’s Environmental Management manager. “These meetings also provide a forum for residents and stakeholders to voice their opinions, suggestions, and concerns about our vision.”

The program includes a general presentation about the federal budgeting process and individual presentations by the cleanup portfolio managers at the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Y-12 National Security Complex. The purpose of the event is to explain the cleanup program’s near-term priorities at each site and provide information about the agency’s ongoing work, progress, and vision.

After the presentations, there is a public comment period for attendees to ask questions or share their expectations regarding future cleanup priorities in Oak Ridge. This meeting is one of the EM program’s primary channels to collect stakeholder input before submitting their budget request and prioritization for the upcoming fiscal year.

For directions and maps to the facility, visit http://www.pollardcenter.org/.