Envisioning a future for EM sites can be challenging for communities given the longevity of cleanup activities. However, when two sites have an almost identical footprint — in this case Portsmouth in Ohio and Paducah in Kentucky — the opportunity to see potential becomes clearer.
Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office
December 19, 2023
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Paducah community leaders saw how the Portsmouth On-Site Waste Disposal Facility became a catalyst for advancing site cleanup and setting the stage for freeing up available land for reuse during their recent tour.
PIKE COUNTY, Ohio — Envisioning a future for EM sites can be challenging for communities given the longevity of cleanup activities. However, when two sites have an almost identical footprint — in this case Portsmouth in Ohio and Paducah in Kentucky — the opportunity to see potential becomes clearer.
In November, EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Manager Joel Bradburne and Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis hosted community leaders from the Paducah area at the Portsmouth Site to observe how an integrated cleanup approach is freeing up federal land for the community to pursue economic development opportunities.
During a site tour that provided a view of current cleanup projects, Bradburne shared with community leaders the importance of a thoughtful cleanup strategy that begins with the end in mind.
“A sustainable economic development future for the site post-cleanup begins at the start of deactivation and demolition,” Bradburne noted. “In 2010, we began a holistic parallel path between future use and cleanup designed to quickly merge into one goal: safely clean up the site in a pattern that maximizes the potential for transferring excess federal land.”
In addition to the site tour, the groups visit included discussions on site reuse and stakeholder collaboration with future use partners Stephanie Howe from Ohio University and Kevin Shoemaker from the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative, a community reuse organization.
“We are very appreciative of the time that everyone from Portsmouth spent with us. It was very educational and informative for us to see what you have going on,” said Paducah City Commissioner and Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilson. “As a PPPO partner, it’s important that we work together and have a thorough understanding about each other’s site and community.”
-Contributor: Cindi Remy