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West Valley Protects Environment With Erosion Control Measures

West Valley Protects Environment With Erosion Control Measures

Office of Environmental Management

October 22, 2019
An employee walks near a new erosion control measure installed on the north slope of an inactive disposal area at EM’s West Valley Demonstration Project Site.
An employee walks near a new erosion control measure installed on the north slope of an inactive disposal area at EM’s West Valley Demonstration Project Site.

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – Workers helped safeguard the environment at EM’s West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Site by safely installing interlocking concrete blocks to prevent soil erosion at an inactive disposal area closed years ago.

Known as protective armoring, the blocks were placed on a slope along the north side of the disposal area as well as a drainage channel.

“This work will continue to protect the integrity of the disposal area, and prevent any potential harm to the environment from weather-related damage,” EM WVDP Director Bryan Bower said.

A crew moves a section of interlocking concrete blocks for placement at a closed disposal area at the West Valley Demonstration Project Site.
A crew moves a section of interlocking concrete blocks for placement at a closed disposal area at the West Valley Demonstration Project Site.
Workers installed interlocking concrete blocks to prevent erosion along a closed disposal area’s north slope, pictured here, at the West Valley Demonstration Project Site.
Workers installed interlocking concrete blocks to prevent erosion along a closed disposal area’s north slope, pictured here, at the West Valley Demonstration Project Site.

The erosion control project follows the demolition of a facility housing a former liquid pretreatment system earlier this year. An existing protective cover over the disposal area was extended over the site of that facility as part of this project.

The disposal area contains 360,000 cubic feet of buried waste from past spent fuel reprocessing and cleanup operations.

Tags:
  • Environmental and Legacy Management
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Decarbonization
  • Clean Energy
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