Gone Fission Nuclear Report

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Are you interested in the latest news about environmental cleanup at the Department of Energy's nuclear facilities? The GONE FISSION Nuclear Report is for you! This podcast covers all the latest developments across the DOE complex. More than just the news, you'll get commentary and insights to help you better understand the impact of developments.

Michael Butler


    • Apr 21, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 36m AVG DURATION
    • 85 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Gone Fission Nuclear Report

    S5 E1 Centrus: American-Made Uranium Enrichment - 04/21/2025 - Amir Vexler, President and CEO, Centrus Energy Group

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 33:11


    The Gone Fission Nuclear Report launches Season 5 with a new  episode featuring a discussion with Amir Vexler, President and CEO of Centrus Energy Group.  Centrus is playing a vital role in nuclear renaissance with its manufacturing of uranium enrichment centrifuges in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and operation of the American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio. The size of the Pentagon, the plant is pioneering the development of High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU), expected to be a crucial fuel fuel component for both existing reactors and a new generation of advanced reactors. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E20 New Orano Enrichment Plant Boosts Nuclear Growth - 12/09/2024 - Jean-Luc Palayer, President and CEO, Orano USA

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 37:38


    It's being called the largest investment in the history of the State of Tennessee. Orano USA has announced plans to build a new multi-billion dollar, state-of-the-art centrifuge uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge. The facility will provide fuel for America's nuclear power plants and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources, including Russia. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, host Michael Butler discusses this exciting project with Orano USA President Jean-Luc Palayer. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E19 SRS Gets a New Landlord: EM to NNSA 11.18.24 Mike Budney, EM SRS Site Manager, Michael Mikolanis, NNSA SRS Field Office Manager

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 47:09


    Most of us have probably dealt with landlords at one time or another in our personal or business lives.  But did you know that Department of Energy sites around the country also have landlords--DOE offices that are responsible for operation and maintenance of the site as a whole?This week's episode covers the recent change of DOE landlord at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. After nearly three decades, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is taking over landlord responsibilities from the Office of Environmental Management (EM). What does this change mean for SRS and its current and future missions? We talk with SRS EM Site Manager Mike Budney and NNSA SRS Field Office Director Michael Mikolanis. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E18 EM Site Specific Advisory Boards: Valuable Community Input -- 10/28/24 -- Kelly Snyder, DOE EM, Amy Jones, Oak Ridge SSAB Chair, Kris Bartholomew, Vice Chair

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 50:16


    Community input is essential to the success of the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program. Much of the most essential feedback comes from the Site Specific Advisory Boards (SSAB) composed of local community volunteers.  These local members take their own time to become educated about local cleanup issues and make recommendations to DOE about cleanup priorities and approaches.  In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, host Michael Butler talks with Kelly Snyder, EM Designated Federal Officer for the SSAB and officials in charge of the Oak Ridge SSAB--Amy Jones, Chair, and Kris Bartholomew, Vice Chair. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E17 An ECA Report: Reviewing the EM Program in the New Administration - 10.07.2024 - Seth Kirshenberg, ECA Executive Director

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 22:11


    With a new Administration taking office in January, the Energy Communities Alliance has released a detailed report calling for a top-to-bottom review of the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, ECA Executive Director Seth Kirshenberg shares with Host Michael Butler the eight recommendations his organization believes can help the cleanup program better accomplish its formidable mission.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E16 A Conversation with Candice Robertson - EM-1 - 09/23/2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 17:37


    This week, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report features an interview with Candice Robertson, the Department of Energy's recently appointed Senior Advisor to the Office of Environmental Management (EM-1). Host Michael Butler caught up with her at the 10th Annual National Cleanup Workshop in Washington, D.C.  The occasion also marked the 35th anniversary of creation of the Office of Environmental Management. Ms. Robertson gives her assessment of the current state of DOE's environmental cleanup program and looks to the challenges ahead.  Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4 E15 Vision 2024: Oak Ridge Completes a Cleanup Milestone- 08.26.24 - Joanna Hardin, DOE Federal Portfolio Director, East Tennessee Technology Park

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 24:32


    Each year, the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management publishes a list of cleanup priorities for its sites around the country. Progress in the cleanup program is measured by how well these milestones are met.This week, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report joins in celebrating completion a major cleanup goal on DOE's Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee. It's a comprehensive soil remediation project that DOE calls “Vision 2024.” Our guest is Joanna Hardin, DOE Federal Potfolio Director for the East Tennessee Technology Park in Oak Ridge. She talks with host Michael Butler about what it took to remediate more than a half million cubic yards of contaminated soil as the site becomes home to new nuclear-related businessesVisit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E14 Consent-Based Siting for Spent Nuclear Fuel: A National Conversation - 07/29/2024 - Energy Communities Alliance, Washington, DC

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 49:04


    The Gone Fission Nuclear Report travels to the nation's capital this week to join a national conversation on next steps for identifying a community to host interim spent fuel storage from America's nuclear power plants. Our podcast sponsor, the Energy Communities Alliance, convened a meeting of elected officials, community leaders, economic developers and Department of Energy officials to discuss what kind of incentives a community will need--and what kind of economic benefits can accrue--from volunteering to host an interim storage facility. This is an important topic as the U.S. finds itself on the brink of a nuclear renaissance that will increase the role of nuclear energy in meeting our national energy needs. Is your community interested in exploring safe spent fuel storage as an economic driver? Raise your hand!Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E13 Recruiting the Next Generation of Hanford Workers - 07/08/2024 - John Eschenberg, President/CEO, Central Plateau Cleanup Company

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 43:41


    Our guest on this week's episode is John Eschenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of Central Plateau Cleanup Company in Hanford Washington. An Amentum-led partnership with Fluor and Atkins, CPCCO is responsible for managing site operations, facility deactivation, decommissioning, decontamination and demolition, waste-site remediation, and transuranic waste management on Hanford's central plateau and along the Columbia River corridor. It is a challenging and hazardous assignment and a large part of what has been called the biggest environmental cleanup project in the world--likely to stretch for more than 50 years into the future. Eschenberg talks with host Michael Butler about the challenges and efforts underway to ensure than an adequate and trained workforce is available to complete the mission. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E12 The 2024 DOE Interns Have Arrived! Maurice Thompson, Susan Sparks, Shannon Potter and Samina Mondal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 65:54


    This is the time of year when hundreds of interns descend on DOE sites around the country. They are eager and enthusiastic, ready to soak up new information gleaned from being out of the classroom and on the job. They are a critical part of the essential pipeline that will ensure the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program will have enough qualified workers to fulfill its cleanup mission in the decades ahead. In this week's episode of the  Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, host Michael Butler talks with Susan Sparks and Shannon Potter, DOE and contractor intern program managers at Portsmouth/Paducah and Oak Ridge, as well as Maurice Thompson, head of DOE's Career Pathways Program at DOE Headquarters. We will also meet  Samina Mondal, an outstanding  participant in the program who  has quickly become a well-spoken advocate for the Environmental Management program. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E11 Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center Celebrates 20 Years - 06/03/2024 - Melody Bell, Deputy Director, Aaron Deckard, Procurement Director

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 47:46


    DOE's Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. Called the “Swiss army knife of Environmental Management”, the EMCBC is a multi-faceted organization, serving as the centralized hub for procurement, financial management, and technical support for DOE's environmental management program. The EMCBC oversees the cleanup of smaller contaminated sites, including former nuclear production facilities, research laboratories, and uranium mining sites and supports cleanup at larger sites. Host Michael Butler interviews EMCBC Deputy Director Melody Bell and Procurement Director Aaron Deckard.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E10 Depleted UF6: A By-Product for Industry - 05/20/24 - Zak LaFontaine, DOE Program Director, Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Program

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2024 26:21


    The Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program is more than tearing down aging, contaminated buildings.  In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, we'll take a look at another dimension of cleanup--the conversion of depleted uranium hexafluoride—or UF6--at Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio.  A by-product of the conversion process is hydrofluoric acid which has wide applications in industry--from pharmaceuticals and refrigerants to aluminum, plastics, electrical components and more. Hydrofluoric acid from the conversion process is sold to industry and  is a revenue generator for the government.  Our guest is Zak LaFontaine, DOE Program Director for the Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Conversion Program at Paducah and Portsmouth.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E9 K-25 Reunion: Recalling Nuclear History - 05-06-24 - Dr. Harold Conner Jr. and Pam Toon

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 56:43


    On April 27, 2024, more than 650 former workers at the historic K-25 gaseous diffusion plant in Oak Ridge, TN, came together for their first-ever reunion. As Daniel Dassow wrote in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, it was the first time many had driven their private cars into the complex, the first time they weren't required to show a badge and perhaps the first time they had seen K-25 as a field site with no large buildings left. In this week's Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, Host Michael Butler takes a look at this unique get-together and joins attendees in remembering their historic careers. Our guests are former K-25 Plant Manager Dr. Harold Conner Jr. and Pam Toon, one of the Reunion's organizers.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E8 Meet DOE's Top Project Director - 4/22/24 - Jud Lilly, DOE Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 55:14


    Thousands of workers show up each day to advance the environmental cleanup mission at DOE sites around the country. They are talented and dedicated but for the most part their work goes unheralded without awards or accolades. In this week's Gone Fission Nuclear Report host Michael Butler talks with a DOE official who has been singled out by the Secretary of Energy for a major performance award. Jud Lilly, a DOE executive at the Portsmouth OH site, has been named Federal Project Director of the Year by the Secretary of Energy. Meet Jud and hear his story, including the tremendous respect he has for the Portsmouth team who get the job done very day.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E7 National Laboratories Speed Hanford Cleanup - 04/08/24 - Connie Herman, SRNL, Delmar Noyes, DOE-Hanford

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 30:46


    The Department of Energy's 17 national laboratories conduct research and development on some of the world's most vexing challenges—from climate change to the origins of the universe.  Most recently, six labs have turned their attention to speeding cleanup of underground tank waste at DOE's Hanford site in Washington State. The labs are using $27 million in DOE funding to research everything from tank integrity and the impact of corrosion to robotic handling of tank waste.  Estimates show this and other work could save $150 billion in cleanup costs and shave up to two decades off a 60-year timeline. This week, Gone Fission host Michael Butler talks with Connie Herman, Associate Director, Savannah River National Laboratory, and Delmar Noyes, DOE Tank Farms Manager at Hanford.NOTE: The work Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship (NNLEMS) performs is overseen by the EM Laboratory Policy Office with the support of the EM Technology Operations Office, Hanford Site Office as well as the Office of Science, and ARPA-E.”Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E6 Cleanup and the Nuclear Renaissance - 03/25/24 - Ashley Saunders, UCOR, Dr. Wes Hines, Head, UT Nuclear Energy Department, Jim Little, Board Member, E-4 Carolinas

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 61:50


    The Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program is boosting a resurgence in the growth of nuclear energy. Cleaning up formerly contaminated land has created a new home for advanced reactor concepts that have become the centerpiece of the nuclear renaissance. In this week's episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report examines how environmental cleanup is helping to position the nation for a clean energy future. Guests are Ashley Saunders of UCOR, Dr. Wes Hines, Head of the Nuclear Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, and Jim Little, E-4 Carolinas board member.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E5 Celebrating WIPP's 25th Anniversary - 03/11/24 -- Mark Bollinger, Tammy Hobbes, Brandon Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 42:39


    This month, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Located in Southeast New Mexico about 26 miles east of Carlsbad, WIPP was constructed for disposal of defense-generated transuranic--or TRU-- waste. WIPP is the nation's only repository for the permanent disposal of TRU waste. In this week's episode, Host Michael Butler talks with DOE Carlsbad Field Office Manager Mark Bollinger, Senior WIPP offiicial Tammy Hobbes, and Brandon Jones, Project Manager for the facility's new underground venting system. They join us in looking back on WIPP's history, starting with receipt of the first shipment of TRU waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory in March 1999.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E4 Black History Month: Scarboro 85 - Desegregating Oak Ridge Schools - 02/26/24 - Ray Smith, Oak Ridge Historian

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 42:51


    As we near the end of Black History Month, in this week's podcast host Michael Butler features the story of the Scarboro 85. In August 1955, 85 young African American students entered all-white classrooms in the Oak Ridge High School and the Robertsville Junior High School in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This desegregation stands as an important milestone in American civil rights history. Oak Ridge City Historian Ray Smith is our guest.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E3 The Birth of the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus - 02/12/24 - Former Congressmen Doc Hastings (WA) and Zach Wamp (TN)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 45:53


    Consistent, reliable Congressional funding is an essential element of success in the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, host Michael Butler interviews two former members of Congress who were instrumental in creation of the Nuclear Cleanup Caucus in the mid-1990s. Our guests are former Washington State Congressman Doc Hastings, whose district included the Hanford site, and former Tennessee Congressman Zach Wamp who represented Oak Ridge. Over the past 30 years, the Caucus has worked diligently to educate fellow members about the importance of cleanup and to keep funding flowing to meet site cleanup priorities across the country.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E2 DOE Procurement Process -- How EM Contracts Work -- 01/29/24 -- Angela Watmore, DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary, Aaron Deckard, Proocurement Director, EM Consolidated Business Center as I by

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 51:13


    The Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program is now focused on 15 remaining sites around the country, down from 107 at the start of the program three decades ago. It is a multi-million dollar, multi-decade effort that depends on qualified contractors to get the job done. DOE is the largest civilian contracting agency in the federal government. In this week's episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report examines the procurement process that results in contract awards and looks at the agency's new contracting model, the role of small business and the impact of protests on cleanup schedules and progress.  Guests are Angela Watmore, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Project Management and Aaron Deckard, Procurement Director, EM Consolidated Business Center.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S4E1 Remembering Gary Petersen - Hanford "Force of Nature" -- 01/08/24 -- Former Congressman Doc Hastings, Duane Schmoker, David Reeploeg, Seth Kirshenberg, Carl Adrian

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 44:18


    Every DOE community has local leaders who step up to advocate for funding and new missions and to hold the Department of Energy accountable for its cleanup obligations. These leaders take the time to educate themselves on site issues, get to know DOE leaders and members of Congress, and use their voices and influence to represent their communities. In this week's episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report remembers one such leader--Gary Petersen, a long-time passionate advocate for the Hanford site in Washington State, who passed away last October, leaving an impressive legacy of advocacy and support.Paying tribute to Gary are former Congressman Doc Hastings, Duane Schmoker, President, Sterling Engineering, David Reeploeg, Vice President, TRIDEC, Seth Kirshenberg, Executive Director, Energy Communities Alliance, and Carl Adrian, past president, TRIDEC.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E33 Manhattan Project National Park: Three Sites, Many Stories - 11/20/23 - Wendy Behrman, Park Superintendent

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 39:52


    In 2015, the United States welcomed its 409th National Park. Known as the Manhattan Project National Historic Park, it tells the story of the men and women who developed the atomic bomb that ended World War II. The Park features three key locations across the U.S.—Oak Ridge TN, Los Alamos NM, and Hanford WA. National Park Service Superintendent Wendy Behrman is our guest in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E22 A DOE View: Community Support is Essential - 11/13/23 - Kristen Ellis, Yvette Cantrell, Paradio Maith

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 28:03


    In our last episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast examined the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee's decision to close in two years. This week, Department of Energy officials at Headquarters and two sites discuss the continuing need for CROs and the importance of community support in the success of DOE's cleanup mission.  Hear our interview with Kristen Ellis, DOE-EM Headquarters, Yvette Cantrell, DOE-Portsmouth/Paducah, and Paradio Maith, DOE-Savannah River Site.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E21 A Community Reuse Organization Closes: CROET Says Mission Accomplished - 11/06/23 - David Bradshaw, CROET, Seth Kirshenberg, ECA

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2023 44:19


    The Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee (CROET) recently announced its plans to close after three decades of successfully representing the Oak Ridge community with the Department of Energy. Why now? And what does this decision mean for the CROs that continue to operate in other DOE communities? Learn the answers in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast featuring interviews with David Bradshaw of CROET and Seth Kirshenberg, Energy Communities Alliance.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E20 EM Young Professionals: Building the Workforce - 09/25/2023 - Ike White, EM Senior Advisor, Ken Rueter, UCOR President & CEO

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 23:36


    If you want job security and the feeling of doing something meaningful, the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program is the place to be. That was the message of top government and industry leaders—and young professionals themselves—at the 2023 National Cleanup Workshop in Washington, DC. EM Senior Advisor Ike White says about half the federal EM workforce is eligible to retire now. And UCOR President and CEO Ken Rueter describes a novel program called Rising Senior Leaders that is preparing young professionals for executive positions. It's all featured in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report. #environment #workforce #podcastVisit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E19 Two Congressmen Talk Cleanup - 09/18/23 - Congressmen Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA), 2023 National Cleanup Workshop

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2023 17:18


    Cleanup is essential. Budgets are tight. Partnership is imperative. That was the message delivered by two members of Congress at the National Cleanup Workshop in Washington, DC, last week. Hear Congressmen Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) assess the current status of the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E18 Stuart MacVean - Looking Back over 40 Years - 09/11/23 - Stuart MacVean, Retired President and CEO, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2023 35:50


    This week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast features an in-depth interview with Stuart MacVean, recently retired President and CEO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, DOE's lead environmental cleanup contractor at the Savannah River Site. MacVean looks back on his four decades in the nuclear industry and discusses the challenges that remain in the DOE environmental cleanup program and his plans for the future.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E17 Labor Day 2023: Saluting America's Workers - 09/04/23 - Sean McGarvey, President and CEO, NABTU

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2023 49:08


    The Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast celebrates the American worker on Labor Day 2023. Our skilled crafts work daily in hazardous environments and all kinds of weather to carry out the EM cleanup mission. Sean McGarvey, president and CEO of North America's Building Trades Unions, joins us on this week's episode to thank these workers for all they do.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E16 Electrifying the EM Vehicle Fleet - 07/31/23 - Rob Seifert, EM HQ, Stuart MacVean, President & CEO, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 45:10


    The Department of Energy's Environmental Management office spends a lot of time remediating the problems of the past. But that doesn't mean they don't have an eye on the future. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in EM's current push to electrify it's gasoline-powered vehicle fleet. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, Rob Seifert, DOE EM Headquarters, and Stuart MacVean, President and CEO of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, discuss the status of progress in meeting federal mandates to electrify the fleet. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E15 Environmental Cleanup: A Family Affair - 07.24.23 - Meet families who work together at DOE sites

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 52:35


    Environmental cleanup at Department of Energy sites is a family affair. Each day, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, uncles and nephews show up together to perform the hazardous tasks and myriad support services necessary to carry out one of the world's largest environmental cleanup missions. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, we introduce you to some of these families and learn what it's like to work together in this challenging setting. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E14 Oppenheimer: The Movie - 7/17/23 - Dr. Thom Mason, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 38:02


    A controversial figure to this day, J. Robert Oppenheimer led the development and construction of the world's first atomic bomb. After World War II, his past communist leanings came to a head when his government security clearance was revoked after several contentious hearings at the height of the "Red Scare". In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, we look ahead to Friday's premiere of “Oppenheimer” in theaters. Our  guest is Dr. Thom Mason,  Oppenheimer's modern-day successor as Director of Los Alamos National  Laboratory in New Mexico. Dr. Mason joined former lab directors in successfully advocating last year that the 1954 revocation of Dr. Oppenheimer's security clearance be nullified.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E13 - EM Strategic Plan - 7/10/23 - Erik Olds, EM Communications Director, Lee Tucker, EM External Relations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 46:08


    The Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program is complex, expensive and long-term. It requires federal oversight, experienced contractor management, a skilled workforce, continual funding from Congress, negotiations with regulators, buy-in and support from communities and stakeholders, and lots of careful planing. That planning is conveyed in DOE Environmental Management's Strategic Vision. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, we examine the latest EM Strategic Vision and talk with two Headquarters officials about the cleanup priorities and challenges that lie ahead. See this insightful interview with Erik Olds, EM Communications Director, and Lee Tucker, EM External Relations.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E12 Preserving K-25 History - 05/22/23 - Jim Dunn, UCOR National Historic Preservation Manager

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2023 24:18


    Officials have taken another step forward in preserving the history of the K-25 site in Oak Ridge, breaking ground for a new viewing platform that will provide a bird's eye view of the former gaseous diffusion plant's footprint. A nearby K-25 History Center focuses on the men and women who built and operated the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant during the Manhattan Project and Cold War. In this week's episode, we learn how the new viewing platform and associated exhibits--part of the Manhattan Project National Park--will help visitors understand the scope and magnitude of K-25 while they learn about the personal stories of the workforce. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E11 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 05/15/23 - DOE-EM is Hiring - Today and Tomorrow, Dameone Ferguson, DOE-EM HQ

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 32:37


    Ensuring an adequate workforce for the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program is a continuing concern and a high priority. There are decades of cleanup work left to do, and much of the current workforce is approaching retirement age. EM is now engaged in an aggressive program to hire more professionals.  In this week's episode, we examine the need for workers and what EM is doing to make sure there are enough qualified employees now and in the decades ahead.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E10 Idaho Celebration: EBR-2 Spent Fuel Wet to Dry Transfer - 05/08/23 - Gov. Brad Little, Dr. Kathryn Huff, Ike White

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 40:37


    This week, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report celebrates with employees of Idaho National Laboratory, INL management, the Department of Energy and state leaders. Crews have completed transfer of Experimental Breeder Reactor-2 spent fuel from wet to the dry storage, meeting a key milestone in a settlement agreement between the Department of Energy and the state. Employees exceeded expectations, completing the project nine months ahead of schedule. EBR-2 was an historic reactor experiment, capable of producing more fuel than it consumed. Join Governor Brad Little, DOE Assistant Secretary Dr. Kathryn Huff, and Senior EM Advisor Ike White as we celebrate this Idaho milestone in this week's episode. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E9 SRS Landlord Transition: From EM to NNSA - 05.01.2023 - Frank Rose, NNSA, Ike White, EM

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 57:27


    Every Department of Energy field site has a landlord—a DOE programmatic office that oversees the real estate, utilities, security and other day-to-day operations. Every now and then a new landlord is installed to reflect the site's changing missions and programmatic responsibilities. It's happening now at Savannah River as NNSA prepares to take over landlord responsibilities from Environmental Management. Learn more about this transition in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E8 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 03/27/2023 - SRS Cleanup: Building Saltstone Disposal Units, Charles Comeau, DOE-SRS

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 30:20


    The Department of Energy's Savannah River Site is engaged in a comprehensive cleanup program for liquid radioactive waste. 51 underground carbon-steel tanks were built to hold radioactive liquid waste from Cold War-era nuclear weapons production. Eight of the tanks have been emptied and closed. The remaining 43 tanks contain about 34 million gallons of liquid waste. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast, we interview Charles Comeau, SRS Federal Project Director for Saltstone Disposal Unit Construction. We discuss the SRS waste cleanup program, focusing on the critical importance of mega-volume Saltstone Disposal Units now under construction and their central role in successful mission completion.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E7 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 03/20/2023 - Women in EM History - Dr. Carolyn Huntoon

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 16:28


    In observance of Women's History Month, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report this week features Carolyn Leach Huntoon, the first woman Assistant Secretary of Environmental Management at the Department of Energy. She was the first of six women to hold this important DOE post. Dr. Huntoon had a distinguished federal career, having also served as the first woman Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. Meet this impressive woman in this week's episode. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E6 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 03/13/23 - Oak Ridge Cleanup: The Next Chapter - Ken Rueter, UCOR President and CEO

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2023 69:10


    In support of its Department of Energy client, United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) has entered the next chapter of environmental cleanup on the Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee. With the historic Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant fully demolished and significant portions of land turned over to the community for economic development, UCOR is now focused on new cleanup projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, UCOR President and CEO Ken Rueter talks about the accomplishments and the new challenges that lie ahead in one of the country's largest nuclear cleanup programs. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E5 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 03/06/2023 - One Hanford: A Team Approach to Cleanup, Brian Vance, DOE Manager, Office of River Protection

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 43:05


    The Department of Energy's Hanford site in Washington State is engaged in one of the largest and most complex environmental cleanup challenges on the planet. Multiple contractors are performing various parts of a decades-long mission that will ultimately result in 56 million gallons of radioactive waste being converted to a solid glass form for ultimate disposal. In this week's episode, Brian Vance, Manager of DOE's Office of River Protection and the Richland Operations Office, discusses the One Hanford approach and the vital importance of seamless teamwork to mission success.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E4 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 01/23/23 - Retiring CRO Head Looks Back - Rick McLeod, President & CEO, SRS Community Reuse Organization

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 33:29


    The longest serving Community Reuse Organization (CRO) leader in the Department of Energy complex has retired. He is Rick McLeod, president and CEO of the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization. Rick held the post for 15 years, nearly half of the CRO's existence. Since he took the job in 2008, Rick has worked with DOE and the community in two states to make sure community interests are addressed, new SRS missions are promoted, and the community has a unified voice in Washington. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, Rick looks back on the CRO's challenges and accomplishments and has some advice for his successor.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E3 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 01/16/23 - Miss America: Nuclear Engineer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2023 37:04


    Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023, is an aspiring nuclear engineer preparing to graduate from the University of Wisconsin. She is a smart, articulate advocate of nuclear energy, who believes this safe and reliable energy source should grow from its current 20 percent of U.S. electrical energy supply to as much as 60 percent. She also wants to use her platform to counter fears and misconceptions about nuclear energy. Meet Miss America in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E2 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 01/09/23 - Oak Ridge Adds On-Site Waste Disposal - Roger Petrie, DOE-OR Regulatory Affairs Specialist

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2023 63:10


    Department of Energy cleanup sites across the country depend on on-site disposal facilities to handle contaminated waste and debris from demolished buildings and soil remediation. At one site--Oak Ridge, where a massive gaseous diffusion complex was completely demolished for the first time ever--more disposal capacity is needed to finish cleanup work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex. In this week's episode, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report talks with Roger Petrie, DOE Regulatory Affairs Specialist, about what's involved in siting a second on-site disposal facility and the outlook for this vital resource being available when needed. Plus, see how one college nuclear engineering major has made it big on the national stage.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S3E1 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 01/03/23 - A Look Back, A Look Ahead - EM2022 Highlights - Fusion Energy Breakthrough

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 42:41


    The Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast launches its third season this week with a look back at the major milestones and achievements in the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program during 2022.  From New Mexico to Washington State, Tennessee, South Carolina and beyond, the achievements were many and consequential. Then we look ahead -- to the future of energy with the latest breakthrough in the development of fusion energy.  This episode gets the year off to a good start with reflection and high expectations. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E35 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 12/5/22- Hanford Waste: Grouting vs Vitrification, Gary Petersen, Duane Schmoker, Clean Up Hanford Now

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2022 44:11


    56 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste are stored in 177 underground tanks at the Department of Energy's Hanford site in Washington state. One of the Department's highest priorities is to treat this waste and convert it into a solid glass form for permanent disposal. But a local citizens group in Richland, WA, says an alternative method--known as grouting--can take care of the bulk of the waste faster, cheaper and safely compared to turning it into glass through vitrification. In this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, we reprise an interview from our audio series last Spring featuring Gary Petersen and Duane Schmoker of Clean Up Hanford Now, who make the case that grouting is the best route for the vast portion of the Hanford tank wasteVisit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E34 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 11/28/22 - Energy Communities Alliance Community Guide to Environmental Cleanup, Seth Kirshenberg, ECA Executive Director

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2022 31:15


    Community involvement is a central element in the success of the Department of Energy's environmental cleanup program. Local community leaders, elected officials and the public at-large are encouraged to take a seat at the table to provide input and participate in discussions about cleanup priorities. The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) in Washington, DC, is the designated organization for advocacy and support for communities around DOE sites. In this episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, we talk with ECA Executive Director Seth Kirshenberg about a new Community Guide to Environmental Cleanup. This interactive guide is designed to help communities and other interested parties in developing an effective and collaborative approach in working with DOE toward accomplishment of mutual cleanup goals at DOE sites. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E33 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - New EM Exhibit at National Atomic Testing Museum - Joe Kent, Director of Curation, Anita Iacaruso, DOE-EM HQ

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2022 42:31


    The Department of Energy's Environmental Management office has opened a new exhibit at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas. The museum recounts the history of U.S. nuclear weapons testing in the Nevada desert.  The new EM exhibit tells the story of environmental cleanup in Nevada and at other DOE sites around the nation. In this episode, we talk to Joe Kent, Director of Curation, Programming and Exhibits at the Museum, and Anita Iacaruso, EM Director of Communications Services at DOE HQ in Washington. Learn more about the DOE cleanup program in this informative episode.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E32 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 11/14/22 - Hanford Leaking Tanks Agreement - Delmar Noyes, Assistant Manager, Tank Farms, DOE-Hanford

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2022 57:15


    Potential leaks in underground radioactive tanks is a priority concern with the Department of Energy's Environmental Management office. Many of these tanks are single-shell containment and were constructed during the Manhattan Project and the Cold War. Today, they are aging and subject to leaks, more so than the double-shell tanks also now in use. Two tanks are currently leaking at DOE's Hanford site in Washington state. DOE and the Washington Department of the Ecology, the state regulator, have reached agreement on how these tanks should be managed.  In this episode, Delmar Noyes, Assistant Manager of Tank Farms for DOE's Hanford office, discusses the settlement and what is being done to ensure the safety of the public and the environment. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E31 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 11/7/22 - Veterans Day - Veteran Hiring at EM Headquarters

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2022 40:59


    This week, the nation observes Veterans Day, celebrating those that worn the uniform in service of our country.  In this week's episode sponsored by Fluor, the Gone Fission Nuclear Report visits DOE Headquarters in Washington where we talk with three EM managers about what EM is doing to add more veterans to the workforce. Hear this interview with Junita Turner, a Navy veteran and Director of the Office of Workforce Management; Damoeone Ferguson, EM Diversity Manager; and Lee Tucker, an Air Force veteran with the EM Office of External Affairs.Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E30 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 10.17.22 - EM News Update Ike White

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022 30:08


    Who may take over from EM as landlord at SRS?  What was the Big News in Waste Treatment at Hanford last week? What did Ike White see when he visited Oak Ridge?  And what was on the Senior EM Advisor's mind at the Nuclear Cleanup Workshop recently? Get the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report podcast. Visit the Gone Fission Nuclear Report channel on youtube.com for a videocast of episodes since November 7, 2022.

    S2E29 Gone Fission Nuclear Report - 09/26/22 - Hanford's Leaking Waste Tanks, David Bowen, WA State Department of Ecology

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2022 28:02


    The potential for leaks in aging underground radioactive waste tanks is a constant concern for the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program. After more than a  year of negotiation, DOE and the Washington State Department of Ecology have reached an accord on handling waste from two leaking underground tanks at the Hanford site. In this week's episode, Michael Butler, host of the Gone Fission Nuclear Report, talks to David Bowen,  Ecology's Nuclear Waste Program Manager,  about the agreement and how his Department is carrying out its regulatory responsibilities with respect to the Hanford waste tanks.

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