Strategy to manage contaminated groundwater on DOE reservation to be discussed tonight

A citizens’ panel will discuss a strategy document tonight that outlines possible solutions for managing contaminated groundwater on the federal reservation in Oak Ridge.

It’s the focus of a 6 p.m. meeting of the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board. The strategy document was developed to address problems with contaminated groundwater on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Reservation.

The meeting is in the DOE Information Center in the Office of Science and Technical Information on Oak Ridge Turnpike. The public is welcome to attend. OSTI is between Science.gov Way and Melton Lake Drive.

“Beginning in January, representatives of DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation participated in a series of workshops to build consensus on a path forward for managing groundwater challenges on the ORR,” a press release said. “Some areas of groundwater on the ORR are contaminated as a result of activities at the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the former gaseous diffusion plant at East Tennessee Technology Park. There is also concern that contaminated groundwater may be migrating offsite under public and private lands.

“As a result of the workshops, a number of objectives were identified and discussed in detail in a strategy document, which was released in September. The groundwater strategy objectives provide a framework for early actions and a long-term strategy. Dan Goode, U.S. Geological Survey, will discuss the document with ORSSAB members. Goode acted as a liaison to the board during the workshop discussions.”

ORSSAB is a federally appointed citizens’ panel that provides independent advice and recommendations to DOE’s Environmental Management program to clean up portions of the ORR.

ORSSAB meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the DOE Information Center. Additional information about the board is available on the internet at www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab or by calling (865) 241-4583 or 241-4584.