Members of eight local advisory boards across the DOE complex focused on opportunities and challenges at cleanup sites and interacted with EM leaders during a recent two-day virtual meeting.

EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Todd Shrader provided an update to the eight boards, which make up the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB). Shrader recognized the efforts of the boards, and noted that EM values their recommendations and advice.

“It’s an important service to our sites and to headquarters and EM as a whole to get the advice of the leaders of the communities around our sites,” Shrader said. “We know you do a lot of work behind the scenes and we certainly very much appreciate that.”

Representatives of eight local advisory boards that make up the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board recently met for a two-day virtual meeting to discuss opportunities and challenges at EM’s cleanup sites.
Representatives of eight local advisory boards that make up the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board recently met for a two-day virtual meeting to discuss opportunities and challenges at EM’s cleanup sites.

Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs Mark Gilbertson, EM Office of Budget and Planning Director Steve Trischman, and EM Advisory Board Vice-Chair Jack Craig also provided updates. Officials with the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation discussed best practices in communicating environmental risks and answered questions from board members.

Members of the local advisory boards also sought a path forward on tasks they had been charged with. That work included determining best practices and opportunities for improvement for EM’s outreach program, and identifying expectations for EM interactions with local communities related to EM’s 10-year strategic vision. Committees were formed to develop responses to these charges, which will be discussed during the EM SSAB National Chairs Meeting in October.

“I am very excited to see the recommendations and best practices that the committees will develop based on the two charges given to the EM SSAB,” EM SSAB Designated Federal Officer Kelly Snyder said. “Ensuring community members have a path for obtaining meaningful communication via our advisory boards is a key component of EM’s commitment to transparency. Who better to tell us what the communities want in terms of outreach and communication than from the community members themselves.”

Last month, EM released its Strategic Vision 2021-2031, a blueprint to the program’s anticipated accomplishments over the next decade that will protect the public and environment. The Strategic Vision outlines goals focused on safety, environmental cleanup priorities, innovation, and improved performance.

The SSAB was created to involve stakeholders more directly in EM’s cleanup decisions, providing advice and recommendations on cleanup and environmental management activities.

The local boards are the Hanford Advisory Board, Idaho Cleanup Project Citizens Advisory Board (CAB), Northern New Mexico CAB, Nevada SSAB, Oak Ridge SSAB, Savannah River Site CAB, Portsmouth SSAB, and Paducah CAB.

The boards are composed of representative members of local citizens, Native American tribes, state and local governments, and community and public interest groups.

Click here for more information on the EM SSAB.