Manhattan Project National Historical Park Archives

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…]

K-25 Equipment Building & Viewing Tower: Design complete, construction funding available

Posted at 9:51 pm January 11, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

An outside view showing the K-25 History Center, Equipment Building, and Viewing Tower at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

An image published in October 2017 shows the K-25 History Center, Equipment Building, and Viewing Tower at East Tennessee Technology Park in west Oak Ridge. It wasn’t immediately clear Friday evening, Jan. 11, 2019, if the design has changed. (Image courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

The design is complete and funding is available for the construction of an Equipment Building and Viewing Tower that will help commemorate the history of the K-25 Building, once the world’s largest building under one roof.

K-25 was built in Oak Ridge during World War II to help enrich uranium for the Manhattan Project. That was a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons. During the war, Oak Ridge enriched the uranium for “Little Boy,” the first atomic bomb used in wartime. “Little Boy” was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945, shortly before the end of World War II.

After the war, the four-story, 44-acre K-25 Building and four other large buildings at the K-25 site continued to use a process known as gaseous diffusion to enrich uranium for atomic weapons and commercial nuclear power plants. Officials say the K-25 site, which is in west Oak Ridge, helped win the Cold War.

After decades of use, the K-25 site was shut down in the mid-1980s, and as part of a cleanup effort in recent years, the five large gaseous diffusion buildings have been demolished. But the history of the K-25 building and the site will live on in a History Center on the second floor of Oak Ridge Fire Station Number 4, which is next to K-25’s concrete slab, and at the Equipment Building and Viewing Tower, which will be just west of the History Center.

The History Center, Equipment Building, and Viewing Tower will be on the south side of the former K-25 Building. The site is now known as Heritage Center or East Tennessee Technology Park. [Read more…]

Government shutdown affects National Park Service in Oak Ridge

Posted at 7:59 pm January 11, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The partial government shutdown that started three weeks ago has affected the National Park Service in Oak Ridge. There are no National Park Service staff members or volunteers working at the Park Service desk at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, as pictured above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The partial government shutdown that started three weeks ago has affected the National Park Service in Oak Ridge.

There are no National Park Service staff members or volunteers working at the Park Service desk at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge.

The Park Service left maps and brochures for visitors to pick up at the museum, but there is no one there to give a certain type of stamp that visitors can use to log visits to national parks.

A sign on the National Park Service desk on Friday said “Closed until further notice,” with a simple sketch of a frowning face underneath it.

Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Established about three years ago, the park commemorates the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. Besides Oak Ridge, the park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. [Read more…]

NOAA building in Oak Ridge closed due to government shutdown

Posted at 3:29 pm January 11, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The NOAA building on South Illinois Avenue, shown above on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, has a sign posted on the front door announcing that it is closed due to the partial shutdown of the federal government. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building in Oak Ridge is closed due to the partial shutdown of the federal government, which is now three weeks old and approaching a record length.

NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which is one of nine cabinet-level departments affected by the partial government shutdown. The shutdown, which mostly hinges on a dispute between President Donald Trump and Democrats in Congress over whether to allocate $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, also affects the Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal judiciary, and other related government programs.

About 380,000 workers were to be sent home and not be paid for their time off during the shutdown, the New York Times reported. Another 420,000 deemed too essential to be furloughed are being forced to work without pay, the newspaper said. After past shutdowns, such workers have been reimbursed later.

It wasn’t immediately clear Friday afternoon how many NOAA workers in Oak Ridge, part of an air research laboratory that has a division here, have been furloughed and how many, if any, are being forced to work without pay. A sign posted on the front door announced that the building is closed due to the shutdown. [Read more…]

NPS: Manhattan Project Park accessible during shutdown

Posted at 1:40 pm December 22, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

National parks will remain as accessible as possible during the partial government shutdown while following all applicable laws and procedures, officials in Denver said Saturday.

The government partially shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday due to a lapse in funding for nine federal departments and several agencies.

During the shutdown, there will be no visitor services provided by the National Park Service at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, including public information. The Manhattan Project Park includes Oak Ridge; Hanford, Washington; and Los Alamos, New Mexico.

NPS social media and websites are not being monitored or updated, and they may not reflect current conditions during the shutdown. All park programs have been canceled, according to a press release from Kris Kirby, superintendent of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Denver. [Read more…]

Updated: Park Service will not provide visitor services during shutdown

Posted at 11:18 am December 22, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was updated at 1:50 p.m.

The National Park Service will not provide visitor services during the partial government shutdown that started Friday night, and that could affect programs in Oak Ridge and other national parks in the area. But Manhattan Project Park locations at three sites, including Oak Ridge, will remain open to the public and continue to provide visitor services.

Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which is part of the National Park Service. The park, which is about three years old, commemorates the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II. Besides Oak Ridge, two other sites are part of the park: Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.

In Oak Ridge, the Manhattan Project National Historical Park is based at the Children’s Museum on West Outer Drive. The park includes programs such as historical films, celebrations, and programs, and informative hikes and bicycle rides with rangers.

The National Park Service did not respond to two inquiries this week, but a program scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Oak Ridge will presumably be canceled. That program was intended to discuss secrecy, security, and spies during the Manhattan Project. It was scheduled for this afternoon (Saturday, December 22) at the Turnpike Gatehouse in west Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Manhattan Project Park program: Hike with a ranger on Saturday

Posted at 3:14 pm October 12, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

Join park rangers for a hike along the Cedar Hill Greenway in Oak Ridge on Saturday, October 13.

The hike will begin at Cedar Hill Park, former location of Cedar Hill Elementary School at 10 a.m. Saturday. Along the hike, rangers will discuss the early school system of Oak Ridge, early shopping centers, and housing in the Clinton Engineer Works, a press release said. This 2.5-mile hike is considered moderately difficult, and some parts of the trail can wash out after a strong storm. Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear, insect repellent, and sunscreen, and bring drinking water.

Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Besides Oak Ridge, the park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The three sites and others were involved in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II. [Read more…]

DNFSB: Moving fissile materials, operations from Y-12 building improves nuclear safety, reduces risk

Posted at 12:44 pm October 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Building 9204-2 (Beta 2) is pictured above at center at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Part of Building 9204-2E (Beta 2E) is pictured in the top left. (Photo courtesy Consolidated Nuclear Security)

Nuclear materials and operations have been removed from an old building at the Y-12 National Security Complex, and that improves safety and reduces the risk to workers and the public, a federal safety board said.

The building, 9204-2, or Beta 2, is on the west side of Y-12. It’s one of nine buildings at the 811-acre site that once used machines known as calutrons to enrich uranium for atomic bombs as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. It’s now used to produce lithium for nuclear weapons.

In an early September report, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board said Consolidated Nuclear Security and the National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office had officially downgraded Building 9204-2. It had been a category two hazard, but it is now less than category three. It’s considered non-nuclear.

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Manhattan Project program to focus on three unique employees

Posted at 10:54 am September 10, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ed Westcott was the official government photographer in Oak Ridge during the Manhattan Project, a top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic weapons during World War II. (File photo)

A Manhattan Project National Historical Park program this month will focus on three unique Manhattan Project employees: Ed Westcott, Ernest Wilkins Jr., and Leona Woods.

The program is free. It is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 22, at the historic Midtown Community Center at 102 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge.

“We will delve into Leona Woods’ contribution as one of the few female scientists, Ed Westcott’s influential photography as the Manhattan Project’s only official photographer, and Ernest Wilkins Jr.’s lasting impact on the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering,” a press release said. [Read more…]

K-25 overlook to re-open in October

Posted at 2:29 pm September 7, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Visitor's Overlook, part of the Happy Valley property purchased in November, is pictured above across from East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Visitor’s Overlook, part of the Happy Valley property purchased in November 2016, is pictured above across from East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site, on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

K-25 Overlook will be ‘bigger and better,’ provide Manhattan Project and recreational information

The K-25 Overlook next to State Route 58 in west Oak Ridge will soon be re-opening as a much larger and nicer visitor center that will also have a new purpose, a press release said.

Owner John McCormick, vice president of Bionomics, purchased the 160-acre property known as Happy Valley through an auction at the end of 2016. The overlook on SR 58 across from the East Tennessee Technology Park, the former K-25 site, was part of the purchase.

But the overlook needed building repairs and updates to the historical information inside, the press release said. In 2017, McCormick partnered with Pam May, vice president of the Roane Alliance, who reached out to local historians, the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Energy, and Explore Oak Ridge to discuss the future of the overlook.

“The idea to expand the overlook into a visitor center and recreational hub came from the National Park Service in one of the early meetings,” May said. “That aligned perfectly with what John had envisioned—to create trails and open spaces that people could enjoy while also learning Happy Valley’s history through its landmarks still evident on the property.” [Read more…]

New AMSE has grand opening in October

Posted at 12:21 pm August 10, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The current location of the American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue could close at the end of July, and the museum could re-open at its new home at Main Street Oak Ridge in the early fall, officials said. The new location is pictured above under construction on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The last location of the American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue closed at the end of July, and the museum will re-open at its new home at Main Street Oak Ridge in October, officials said. The new location is pictured above under construction on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The new American Museum of Science and Energy at Main Street Oak Ridge will have a grand opening ceremony on October 18, officials said Friday.

The ceremony will welcome visitors to the new location on the northeast side of Main Street Oak Ridge, near JCPenney. The new 18,000-square-foot space will include a newly designed exhibit gallery featuring state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, as well as a lecture hall and classroom facilities, a press release said.

“AMSE is planning a multi-phase opening to ensure a smooth transition and quality experience for museum staff, stakeholders, and the public,” the press release said.

On October 1, AMSE will open to the public on a limited schedule, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed on weekends). This will lead up to AMSE’s grand opening event on October 18, the press release said. [Read more…]

AMSE: Current museum could close this month, with new home open this fall

Posted at 4:55 pm July 4, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The current location of the American Museum of Science and Energy on South Tulane Avenue could close at the end of July, and the museum could re-open at its new home at Main Street Oak Ridge in the early fall, officials said. The new location is pictured above under construction on Thursday, June 21, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

In the meantime, the museum might not be open a month or two as exhibits are moved, said Ken Tarcza, manager of the Oak Ridge Office for the U.S. Department of Energy. But DOE bus tours will continue, Tarcza said at a meeting to give an update about the AMSE project at Oak Ridge High School on June 14. Some specifics of the transition haven’t been worked out yet.

Tarcza said the new 18,000-square-foot museum will feature state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. It will be in renovated space on the north side of Main Street Oak Ridge near JCPenney. Besides exhibits and activities, the new museum will also have a lecture hall and two classrooms.

There will be four major categories featured in the museum, Tarcza said: energy leadership, “big science,” national security, and environmental restoration. Many of the exhibits at the current AMSE need to be refreshed, and the majority of the exhibits at the new location will have a brand-new design, Tarcza said. [Read more…]