Managing Today’s Change, Protecting Tomorrow’s Future

As Earth Day completes another rotation around the sun, communities and organizations have planned thousands of events this weekend to shine a light on environmental issues.

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management commits to environmental stewardship year-round, and the annual Earth Day observance is an opportunity to take stock of LM’s mission to fulfill its post-closure responsibilities and ensure the future protection of human health and the environment.

“Our mission is a clear demonstration of a year-round effort toward the Earth Day ideals,” said David Von Behren, LM Education, Communication, History, and Outreach team lead.

With Earth Day in its 53rd year, this year’s theme “Invest in Our Planet” is a continuation of last year’s call to action and one that articulates LM’s purpose almost verbatim: “We must preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods.”

LM’s mission is to “fulfill the Department of Energy’s post-closure responsibilities and ensure the future protection of human health and the environment.” To that end, LM teams work tirelessly to improve the long-term sustainability of environmental remedies in a safe, timely, and cost-effective manner. LM’s motto “managing today’s change, protecting tomorrow’s future” is a testament to that commitment.

These efforts were on full display at the Rocky Flats Site, Colorado, last November. LM replaced solar panels, batteries, controllers, and other materials on a solar-powered treatment system and donated the old equipment to GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit that provides solar power systems and job training to underserved communities in the U.S., Mexico, Nicaragua, and Nepal.

The Solar Ponds Plume Treatment System upgrade at the Rocky Flats Site utilized U.S.-made solar panels robust enough to charge an electric vehicle while maintaining system power needs. Remarkably, it can run for a minimum of three days without charging, such as during cloudy weather.

“Innovation is critical to our mission, and we are always searching for ways to implement the ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ approach,” LM Director Carmelo Melendez said. “Harnessing new innovation with proven methods is how LM ensures its longstanding environmental stewardship.”