With One Mission Complete, Idaho Crew Pivots to Support Other Cleanup Work

Idaho Cleanup Project demolition crews prepare to pull down a large, steel Accelerated Retrieval Project enclosure at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — After successfully completing their mission in one of the largest demolition projects in Idaho National Laboratory Site history, members of the Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP) workforce are being trained for other cleanup work at the site.

Last year, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management crews with contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) removed the three remaining enclosures at the Accelerated Retrieval Project (ARP) several months ahead of schedule. The large tent-like enclosures, which supported exhumation of buried waste at the Subsurface Disposal Area, totaled more than 520,000 square feet of space. This project was completed as part of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act activities in Idaho and in accordance with federal code regulating government property removal.

Nearly two dozen employees transitioned from the ARP decontamination and demolition (D&D) project to other D&D and waste management projects, including the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) D&D project.

Idaho Cleanup Project crews perform deactivation activities at the Aircraft Carrier 1st Generation Westinghouse prototype, including hazardous materials removal, prior to beginning demolition of the facility.

Shawna Burtenshaw, IEC’s senior manager over D&D operations projects, recognizes the impact of the additional workers to that project’s mission.

“Those who joined our team were already trained as D&D skilled workers and transitioned seamlessly with minimal additional training,” Burtenshaw said. “Their impact was felt immediately as we have been able to more effectively distribute the available work among our teams.”

The NRF D&D project is decommissioning and demolishing three legacy naval reactor prototype vessels: the Submarine 1st Generation Westinghouse (S1W), the Aircraft Carrier 1st Generation Westinghouse (A1W) and the Submarine 5th Generation General Electric (S5G).

D&D of the S1W is on track for completion this year. A1W and S5G were transferred to IEC ahead of schedule and are in the early stages of D&D.

Former ARP D&D employees are also using remote-handling capabilities to treat and repackage transuranic waste inside two hot cells at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC). The hot cells — large concrete enclosures with shielded glass and mechanical manipulators that allow operators to safely handle highly radioactive or hazardous materials — were constructed to assist in the spent nuclear fuel reprocessing mission at INTEC until 1992.

The D&D workers are receiving qualifications to perform work as operators and waste handlers and will support efforts to prepare waste packages for eventual shipment for offsite disposal. Their work helps ICP meet an important commitment to the state of Idaho.

Other former ARP D&D employees are supporting maintenance crews at INTEC, where their efforts ensure safety for employees who work at the facility.

IEC President and Program Manager Dan Coyne recognizes the impact of these employees and the importance of maintaining an experienced, skilled workforce.

“There is no doubt that our workforce is our greatest asset, and the success of our cleanup efforts is directly reflected in their commitment to safely and effectively completing our mission each day,” said Coyne. “Idahoans can be proud of the work our employees perform.”