EPA Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Government shutdown not affecting DOE cleanup work

Posted at 2:59 pm January 18, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The partial shutdown of the federal government is not affecting the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup program in Oak Ridge, a spokesperson said Friday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides federal oversight of the work, and EPA is one of the federal departments and agencies affected by the partial government shutdown.

But on Friday, Ben Williams, spokesperson for the DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, said the shutdown is not affecting the office’s cleanup work at this time. [Read more…]

A dozen IIA employees affected by government shutdown

Posted at 11:39 am January 18, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Pictured above in a file photo from February 2014 is the headquarters of Information International Associates on Union Valley Road in Oak Ridge.

About a dozen employees of Information International Associates Inc. have been affected by the partial shutdown of the federal government, an executive said in response to questions on Wednesday.

IIA staff members who support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati, Ohio, have been affected by the shutdown, said Kelly Callison, senior vice president of operations.

“All the rest of the agencies we support have funding,” Callison said.

He said about 12 IIA staff members are affected to some extent. Two of those employees are part-time, and three have shifted work to another project but that will end soon. [Read more…]

Federal shutdown does not affect state oversight of Oak Ridge cleanup program

Posted at 11:16 am January 18, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The partial shutdown of the federal government does not affect state oversight of the federal cleanup program in Oak Ridge, a state official said Thursday.

At this time, the federal shutdown has no impact on the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said Kim Schofinski, TDEC deputy communications director. That means state oversight of the Oak Ridge cleanup program is not currently affected. The Oak Ridge sites include East Tennessee Technology Park (the former K-25 site), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Y-12 National Security Complex. [Read more…]

EPA picks Oak Ridge to apply for new loan program for new water plant

Posted at 2:36 pm July 23, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Water Treatment Plant is pictured on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has invited the City of Oak Ridge to apply for a new federal loan program for the city’s proposed new water plant, a press release said.

The City of Oak Ridge water plant is one of 12 projects in nine states to apply for more than $2 billion in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) Loans, the EPA said in a press release Wednesday. The projects were selected from a group of 43 projects that submitted letters of interest to EPA in April 2017.

“Rebuilding America’s infrastructure is a critical pillar of the president’s agenda,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These large-scale projects will improve water quality for 20 million Americans, especially those communities that need it the most—such as rural and urban communities.”

The press release said the City of Oak Ridge will design and construct a new 16 million-gallons-per-day membrane treatment plant and associated equipment to replace the existing decades-old conventional treatment plant, which is currently at capacity and beyond its useful life.

Among the city’s water plant customers are Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex.

“This project will provide sufficient capacity to meet the city’s water needs by continuing the production and delivery of safe potable drinking water to its customers,” the EPA press release said. [Read more…]

EPA recognizes Oak Ridge as leading Green Power Community

Posted at 6:47 pm May 12, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The City of Oak Ridge has again been designated as a Green Power Community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, officials said in May 2017. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge has again been designated as a Green Power Community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The city is collectively using more than 32 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 16 percent of the community’s total electricity use, a press release said.

“This is a huge honor, and we are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” Oak Ridge Electric Department Business Office Manager Marlene Bannon said. “Using green power helps our community become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others across the country that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate risk.” [Read more…]

GIS stormwater data collection to occur in February

Posted at 4:03 pm January 29, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Photo by City of Oak Ridge

Geographical information system, or GIS, storm drain inlet mapping will take place in Oak Ridge during the month of February in the following areas: Michigan Avenue, Outer Drive, and New York Avenue.

Representatives of the city will be mapping these inlets with GPS units and/or making visual assessments, a press release said. Residential property will only be accessed during reasonable hours to identify stormwater inlets, the press release said.

“This is not a request to enter into any building or structures on the property,” the press release said. “No construction will be taking place.”

The city is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, or TDEC, under the Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, to monitor certain streams or tributaries to those streams. The goal of this mandate is to protect and rehabilitate our natural water resources, the press release said. [Read more…]

Watts Bar Reservoir has returned to conditions before Kingston coal ash spill, EPA says

Posted at 10:11 pm January 18, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

River Reaches Arcadis Updated Data Analysis and Temporal Trend Evaluations in Biota 2009-2015 TVA Kingston

River Reaches—Updated Data Analysis and Temporal Trend Evaluations in Biota: 2009-2015, Tennessee Valley Authority, Kingston, Tennessee (By Arcadis)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta reported Thursday that monitoring data shows that areas of Watts Bar Reservoir affected by the 2008 ash spill in Kingston have returned to “pre-spill” conditions.

The ash spill occurred at the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant. It released 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash on December 22, 2008.

Environmental data collected from 2009-2015 shows the fish community, benthic macroinvertebrates (bugs), sediment quality, and tree swallow colonies have recovered to baseline conditions that existed before the spill, the EPA said.

The cleanup was accomplished in three phases under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund. [Read more…]

Local environmental board meets with federal, state agencies to discuss cleanup mission

Posted at 12:45 am September 28, 2016
By Ashley Huff Leave a Comment

The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board holds its annual planning meeting in August 2016 with U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. (Submitted photo)

In August, members of a citizen’s advisory board met with representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to consider key issues for Oak Ridge Reservation cleanup in fiscal year 2017, which begins in October.

The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board held its 2016 Annual Planning Meeting in Townsend, Tennessee, on August 6. The Saturday meeting brought together members of the Oak Ridge board, leadership from DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, or OREM, and liaisons from federal and state regulatory agencies to review cleanup accomplishments in FY 2016 and discuss priorities for FY 2017.

ORSSAB is a federally chartered citizens’ panel that provides recommendations to OREM on its environmental management activities at DOE sites locally. OREM encourages public participation in federal projects and meets regularly with the Oak Ridge board, as well as with other citizen and stakeholder groups within the community to gather public perspectives regarding a diverse cleanup mission that addresses legacy nuclear waste at sites across the Oak Ridge Reservation through numerous activities, including waste disposition, long-term stewardship, and site restoration. [Read more…]

Council to consider water rate, sewer rate, trash fee increases

Posted at 10:21 am September 12, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in 2014. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Note: This story was updated at 10:38 a.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider increases in the water and sewer rates that would go into effect in January 2017 and January 2018 during a regular meeting tonight (Monday, September 12). Council will also consider a trash fee increase that members endorsed during budget deliberations in June.

A 6 percent increase has been proposed for both water and sewer rates starting January 1, 2017. The next year, effective January 1, 2018, a 4 percent increase has been proposed for water rates and a 6 percent increase has been proposed for sewer rates.

A home that uses the minimum amount would pay an extra $2.26 per month for water and sewer starting in 2017 and an additional $2.17 per month in 2018.

A home that uses 5,000 gallons per month would pay $5.33 more per month for both water and sewer in 2017 and another $4.87 in 2018.
[Read more…]

TVA decides coal combustion residuals more safely stored in place, including at Bull Run

Posted at 9:44 pm July 31, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Tennessee Valley Authority will move forward with a plan to permanently and safely store coal ash and other coal combustion residuals on TVA property at 10 locations across the service area, including the Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton, officials said Friday.

The decision follows a year-long review of the potential environmental impacts detailed in an environmental impact statement, which addressed comments from 10 public open houses and additional opportunities for public input, a press release said.

See the final environmental impact statements, including for Bull Run Fossil Plant, here.

The EIS looked at two options for the future storage of coal combustion residuals, or CCR: closure-in-place and closure-by-removal. The preferred option for the 10 impoundments is closure-in-place, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORISE building earns EPA’s Energy Star certification for energy efficiency

Posted at 1:02 pm March 16, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

From left to right are Director of Facilities and Transportation Department Chad Becker, Facilities Management Services Manager Eddy Whitson, and Sustainability Manager Kevin Fritts display the new EPA Energy Star certification for the ORISE Facilities and Transportation Department office in background behind them. (Photo by ORAU)

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education’s Facilities and Transportation Department office building, managed by ORAU, has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star certification, which signifies that the building, located off Bethel Valley Road in Oak Ridge, performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy-efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

“We are pleased to accept the EPA’s Energy Star certification in recognition of ORISE’s energy-efficiency efforts,” said ORISE Director and ORAU President Andy Page. “Through this achievement along with our corporate office building earning the first new, gold-level LEED-certified office building in Tennessee, we have demonstrated our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering our energy costs.”

The EPA works with organizations to help them save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making their buildings more energy-efficient, a press release said. [Read more…]

Construction on Y-12 mercury treatment plant could start in 2018, cost $146 million

Posted at 2:28 pm September 10, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 3:30 p.m.

Construction on a mercury treatment plant at the Y-12 National Security Complex could start in 2018 and cost $146 million, a federal official said Wednesday.

The plant would treat mercury contamination that originates in the West End Mercury Area at Y-12, flows through storm drains, and enters Upper East Fork Poplar Creek at a point known as Outfall 200. East Fork Poplar Creek flows through Oak Ridge.

The U.S. Department of Energy has evaluated several alternatives for treating the mercury, including doing nothing. But DOE prefers an option that would treat 3,000 gallons of contaminated water per minute and store two million gallons of stormwater. It could reduce the flow of mercury, a toxic metal, by an estimated 84 percent. [Read more…]