Oak Ridge Today

NNSA Notice of Availability

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AVAILABILITY OF THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE Y-12 NATIONAL SECURITY COMPLEX MATERIALS MANUFACTURING MISSION (DOE/EA-2218)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the availability of this Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), which analyzes the potential impacts associated with materials manufacturing at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. NNSA invites the public to review and submit comments on the Draft EA. Copies of the document are available for public review on the NNSA NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room) and/or the DOE NEPA web page (https://www.energy.gov/nepa/public-comment-opportunities). Public comments on the Draft EA should be submitted no later than November 30, 2023. Comments may be submitted via regular mail to NNSA NEPA Document Manager, Attn: MM Draft EA, P.O. Box 2050, Oak Ridge, TN 37831; or by email: [email protected]. Comments will not be accepted over the telephone.

Letter: Stanley will give you a term-limit option to consider

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To the Editor:

The Anderson County Charter Commission needs thoughtful individuals who are willing to recognize the problems with our current system of county government. Dr. David Stanley will do that. He’s running for Charter Commission in District 7.

Dr. Stanley has served the community for many years. As a physician, he understands the importance of reaching the root cause of a problem—to best solve it.

The Department of Energy’s workforce heavily sells Knox County to new, incoming workers. Anderson County realtors find it almost impossible to even speak with these workers. [Read more…]

Opinion: A blueprint for growth, the choice is yours

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By Leonard Abbatiello

Nov. 19, 2015

In a previous article, I pointed out how Oak Ridge has changed. To summarize, we have changed drastically since the mid-1970s, becoming Tennessee average in median income, graduation rates, ethnic and age distributions. We are also heavily in debt, as we continue to spend beyond our means for all of our high quality services.

About 50 percent of our housing is over 70 years old and in various conditions located on lots that are often unsuitable for today’s desired off-street parking. Currently, over 12 percent of all homes are vacant, and those on the market are selling at 75 percent of their initial asking price. All aging residential housing is collectively dropping in both value and desirability. Our low-income population has increased to the point that they are the majority of our residents, and they cannot financially support our high-end services. Today, we are building only 10s of new homes annually, and a large percentage of the Manhattan Era housing remains vacant. Department of Energy radioactive and hazardous waste storage taints the community image as an attractive place to live.

We have evolved to this condition from a city that was given to us citizens debt free in the 1960s and rocketed to be the highest property taxed Tennessee city by 1973. Since then, it has endured a long list of both failed and evaporated DOE promised self-sufficiency projects. Today, DOE self-sufficiency efforts are no longer offered by DOE. Things even got worse following the 1985 fragmentation of all DOE single contractor federal operations, which then made effective local financial discussions impossible. [Read more…]

Government wants to lease space for displaced Federal Building workers

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Oak Ridge Federal Building

The General Services Administration, which owns the Federal Building in Oak Ridge, wants to lease commercial space for 150 to 175 employees displaced after the Federal Building shut down in June.

About 150 to 175 employees could move into commercial office space while the U.S. General Services Administration removes asbestos-containing insulation from the Federal Building in Oak Ridge.

The GSA posted a notice last week on FedBizOpps.gov that it wants to lease about 30,000 square feet of temporary space in Oak Ridge, potentially for up to six months, with a second six-month term possible. Leasing proposals were due by Tuesday.

Officials said they are moving quickly to find space for employees displaced after a mid-June inspection found asbestos-containing insulation had fallen into heating and cooling ducts at the Federal Building.

[Read more…]

Kelly selected as new manager of DOE Oak Ridge Office

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Larry Kelly

Larry Kelly

Larry Kelly has been named manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office.

Kelly has been serving as acting manager since April. He was the third acting manager at the Oak Ridge Office since former manager Gerald Boyd retired in April 2011.

Kelly had previously served as the acting deputy manager and the assistant manager for Environment, Safety and Health.

[Read more…]

DOE warning sirens will not be tested Wednesday

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The U. S. Department of Energy’s warning sirens in Oak Ridge will not be tested this Wednesday due to the July 4 holiday.

The sirens are typically tested between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month. They are intended to give immediate notification of an emergency to people who are within about two miles of DOE’s Oak Ridge Reservation.

[Read more…]

Mayor testifies before Senate on national park bill

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Mayor Tom Beehan will testify before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Wednesday, advocating for a Manhattan Project national historical park that would include Oak Ridge.

Beehan will represent Oak Ridge and two other Manhattan Project cities—Hanford, Wash., and Los Alamos, N.M.—as well as the nonprofit Energy Communities Alliance.

He will testify before the National Parks Subcommittee on a bill filed by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat. That bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, would set up a national park for Oak Ridge, Hanford, and Los Alamos.

[Read more…]

DOE drafts $17.5M plan to preserve K-25 history

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All of the K-25 building would be demolished under a draft agreement issued by the U.S. Department of Energy last week, but a replica equipment building would be erected as part of a plan to honor the history of the massive uranium enrichment plant.

The replica building would have three stories and a basement, and it would display equipment used to enrich uranium through a process called gaseous diffusion.

[Read more…]

Regional small business summit starts July 9

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The first regional small business summit by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration will be held in Knoxville from July 9 to 11.

During the summit at the Knoxville Convention Center, small businesses will be able to speak with government and industry representatives, and information specifically focused on awarding prime contracts and subcontracts to small businesses will be highlighted.

[Read more…]

Y-12 safety program recognized

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Y-12 VPP Star Site

A new VPP Star Site flag at Y-12 National Security Complex recognizes achievements in safety and health programs. From left are Dan Hoag, acting Y-12 site manager; Bill Klemm, B&W Y-12 senior vice president and deputy general manager; and Steve Jones, Atomic Trades and Labor Council president.

A Tuesday flag-raising ceremony recognized the efforts by workers at Y-12 National Security Complex to keep employees safe, preventing injuries and reducing the number of lost work days.

Y-12 has been recognized as having outstanding safety and health programs under the U.S. Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program, or DOE-VPP, and the plant has been designated as a VPP Star Site, the highest achievement level.

[Read more…]

DOE public bus tour starts June 4

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DOE public bus tour

The DOE Oak Ridge facilities public bus tour kicks off on June 4 and continues through Aug 31. (Photo submitted by DOE)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge facilities public bus tour begins June 4 and continues through August 31.

The three-hour tour starts at the American Museum of Science and Energy and travels to landmarks at the three DOE sites: East Tennessee Technology Park (the former K-25 site), Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex.

The tour provides visitors with historical facts and updates on the world-class missions under way in Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]

Decision on preserving K-25’s North Tower could come soon

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ETTP Preservation Meeting

National Park Service employee Jeff Durbin, left, outlines three options for preserving the North Tower at East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site. Also pictured, at right, are Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and, second from right, City Manager Mark Watson.

A decade worth of discussions over whether to preserve a part of the historic K-25 uranium-enrichment building in west Oak Ridge could conclude at the end of this month.

A final plan has not been presented, but a final memorandum of agreement could be drafted by May 31, said Susan Cange, acting manager of the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management program in Oak Ridge.

[Read more…]