Director cites progress with pump and treat operations, vision for Visitors Center expansion.
April 18, 2022
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U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) Director Carmelo Melendez sees the Fernald Preserve Site as more than just a DOE success story.
Melendez said the site’s lifecycle can be a blueprint for DOE cleanup sites.
“The Fernald Site is a great success story and one that is a model for how a site transitions from operations, to cleanup, to site reuse and long-term stewardship,” Melendez said. “We will continue to work with stakeholders and regulators to address our challenges in a collaborative manner.”
Glassmeyer provides an update on repairs planned for a valve house at the On-Site Disposal Facility. Pictured from left to right are Federal Project Director Cliff Carpenter, Melendez, and Glassmeyer.
Melendez toured the site near Hamilton, Ohio, on April 12, along with Federal Project Director Cliff Carpenter and Education, Communications, History, and Outreach Supervisor David Von Behren. Updates were provided on LM’s pump and treat operations, the On-Site Disposal Facility (OSDF), and plans for expansion of the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center, among other topics.
Melendez, left, and Brian Zimmerman, LM site manager at Fernald, participate in a site tour on Tuesday, April 12.
The tour was led by LM’s Fernald Site Manager Brian Zimmerman, who said straightforward and transparent interactions with regulators and stakeholders have led to effective partnerships as the site addresses the remaining environmental impacts from operations that occurred from 1951 to 1989.
“We have been up front with regulators and stakeholders about the challenges we face,” said Zimmerman, who was joined on the tour by various LM and LM Strategic Partner (LMSP) subject matter experts. “We believe that is the only way to establish trust and we approach these issues as partners.”
Updates were provided on pump and treat operations by Zimmerman and LMSP representatives Cathy Glassmeyer and Ken Broberg.
LM’s ongoing efforts have resulted in the steady reduction of a uranium plume and LM continues to collaborate with partners to address challenges and improve the efficiency of the groundwater remedy. As science evolves, LM continues to seek new technologies and best methods in environmental stewardship on this issue and others.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Fernald for their extraordinary work to carry out the LM mission,” Melendez said. “It is important to recognize that LM’s work constitutes aspects of environmental management that is still critically important to regulators and stakeholders. We are committed to continual efforts to address these environmental impacts.”
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Director Carmelo Melendez tours a Fernald water treatment facility with LM Strategic Partner Operations Manager Cathy Glassmeyer.
Melendez also toured the OSDF and was updated on planned repairs and improvements to associated valve houses. Additionally, Melendez supported upcoming plans to expand the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center.
The plans include replacing the facility’s heat pumps, expanding a mechanical room, and the addition of a multi-use garage.
“The Visitors Center provides a valuable resource to the community and allows DOE to tell the story of the important work that occurred at Fernald and the people who performed it,” Melendez said. “This expansion is a good investment for sustainment and modernization of the facility that will serve local residents for many years to come.”
During operations, high-purity, uranium metal products were created at the site for national defense purposes. Cleanup began in 1991 and ended in 2008, culminating one of the U.S.’s largest cleanup efforts. For more information on Fernald history and the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center, visit /lm/fernald-preserve-ohio-site.