The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) recently held an open house event, part of its ongoing commitment to keep the public informed about cleanup progress at the Oak Ridge Reservation.
Office of Environmental Management
November 21, 2023
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The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and contractor UCOR recently hosted a two-hour public information session that provided community members an opportunity to hear about cleanup progress and ask questions to project managers overseeing the work.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) recently held an open house event, part of its ongoing commitment to keep the public informed about cleanup progress at the Oak Ridge Reservation, which is located in two counties in East Tennessee and near a population of more than 100,000 residents.
“We really want the community to come out and really take advantage of these opportunities,” said Sierra Generette, environmental justice and public engagement specialist with OREM cleanup contractor UCOR.
The two-hour event at a Scarboro Community Center gymnasium featured large posters showing graphics, photos and text explaining projects underway. Directors and project managers from EM and UCOR shared information and answered questions from the area residents.
Staff members from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation were also on hand to speak with members of the public.
“They’re here to answer your questions, so if you’re looking at a poster and you may not know what’s going on, this is what they’re here for,” said Generette.
“We want to make sure that we’re not just talking to the community when there’s a regulatory decision or commenting period.”
-Sierra Generette, environmental justice and public engagement specialist with Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management cleanup contractor UCOR
Information focused on OREM’s progress towards completing soil cleanup and developing groundwater remediation plans at the East Tennessee Technology Park, demolition at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, deactivation at the Y-12 National Security Complex and preparation for the construction of the Environmental Management Disposal Facility (EMDF).
This latest outreach event gave a much more comprehensive view of the Oak Ridge cleanup mission than OREM’s previous open house event, which centered on the EMDF and its role in providing the waste disposal capacity needed to continue cleanup efforts.
“We want to make sure that we’re not just talking to the community when there’s a regulatory decision or commenting period,” said Generette. “We want the community to feel like they’re safe, well-informed, and that they can have a one-on-one interaction with the people that work at our companies.”
OREM plans to continue hosting similar public information sessions, at least annually, to provide a forum where the community can hear about cleanup progress nearby and connect with leaders who oversee the work. Notices about such events will be posted on OREM’s website.
-Contributor: Summer Dashe
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