In 2003, EM created the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) to focus on the safe and effective cleanup of the federal government’s two remaining gaseous diffusion plants at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites.
Office of Environmental Management
October 10, 2023
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – In 2003, EM created the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) to focus on the safe and effective cleanup of the federal government’s two remaining gaseous diffusion plants at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites.
Twenty years have passed, prompting the office to hold events recently celebrating two decades of significant achievements.
For the past 20 years, PPPO’s workforce has made significant contributions to move Portsmouth and Paducah toward final cleanup, supporting national missions from construction to operations to cleanup.
PPPO Manager Joel Bradburne has been a part of the office for several years, starting as the Portsmouth Site lead. During his time with PPPO, Bradburne has seen an increased focus on “OnePPPO,” an enterprise-wide culture shift to encourage a team that works seamlessly together to share knowledge and ensure PPPO’s success.
“More than ever, I see an integrated federal and contractor workforce working together with intention to further PPPO’s cleanup mission,” Bradburne said. “This collaboration has been invaluable in accelerating successful transformation of our three key projects.”
Bob Chancey, left, operations manager with Fluor-BWXT-Portsmouth, EM’s decontamination and decommissioning contractor for the Portsmouth Site, receives a commemorative coin from EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jeff Avery, recognizing Chancey’s dedication to a project that resulted in the successful demolition of the X-326 process building.
Since 2003, PPPO team members have demolished over 2 million square feet of buildings, treated over 1 million gallons of contaminated groundwater, converted over 7,000 depleted uranium hexafluoride cylinders and transferred more than 300 acres of land to the community for economic development.
At the Portsmouth and Paducah sites, more than 3,000 federal and contractor employees recently gathered for a lunch. There, members of senior management spoke in appreciation for the employees’ hard work and dedication, expressed pride about their accomplishments and highlighted priorities for cleanup projects.
Bradburne closed the celebrations with a message to the PPPO workforce.
“Thank you, thank you for your hard work, and thank you for your commitment to safety that has been a key contributor to 20 years of success for the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office,” Bradburne said.
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