Site supervisor explaining air monitors in background
Environmental Science Supervisor Danielle Stumbo, left, explains air monitors used at the Portsmouth Site to members of Sen. Sherrod Brown’s staff.

PIKE COUNTY, Ohio – Members of Congress and their staff, DOE officials and others visited EM’s Portsmouth Site in recent weeks where they received updates on future use plans for the site as well as decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) progress.

“We are always happy to host visitors to our site,” said Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis. “There is no better way to understand the Portsmouth Site than a firsthand look at what is taking place.”

As part of their visit, representatives from the office of Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio viewed air monitoring systems used throughout the site.

“Not only do we have our own monitoring systems across the site, but also co-located monitors owned and operated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to offer verification of the data obtained,” Environmental Science Supervisor Danielle Stumbo said.

Days later, Reps. Brad Wenstrup and Troy Balderson visited the Portsmouth Site to view cleanup progress and understand more about the site’s future use plans.

“I am extremely impressed with what you are doing here,” Wenstrup said during the tour. “It is amazing to see how much you have done since the last time I was here.”

Three men learning about the D&D process
EM Portsmouth Site Federal Project Director Jud Lilly, center, explains the D&D process used for the former X 326 Process Building to Reps. Troy Balderson, left, and Brad Wenstrup.
Group photo
Staff members from the DOE Office of the Inspector General gather at a lookout area to view the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility at the Portsmouth Site.
Group tours DUF6 Facility

DUF6 Program Manager Zak Lafontaine, second from left, gives a tour of the Portsmouth Site DUF6 facility. Also pictured, from left, are Information Technology Cybersecurity Specialist Will Welch, EM Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO) Manager Joel Bradburne, EM Chief Information Officer Jeanne Beard, DOE Chief Information Officer Ann Dunkin, PPPO Deputy Manager Reinhard Knerr and Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis.

In a separate visit, a large group from the DOE Office of the Inspector General with interest in future use of the plant listened to a site overview from Davis. He also conducted a tour showing parcels transferred for reuse.

“We have received a lot of interest to build new facilities here,” said Davis. “Our end goal is to be able to offer reindustrialization opportunities for the community once D&D is complete at the Portsmouth Site.”

DOE Chief Information Officer Ann Dunkin and EM Chief Information Officer Jeanne Beard visited the Portsmouth Site and Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion Project. Topics of discussions included current operations of the DUF6 Program and D&D at the Portsmouth Site.

-Contributors: Shawn Jordan, Michelle Teeters