EM's fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request contains funds to continue developing technology to further improve worker safety, tank waste cleanup, soil and groundwater remediation, spent nuclear fuel operations, facility decommissioning and decontamination, and other work.

The $7.64 billion budget request includes about $25 million for EM’s Technology Development (TD) Program. The funding would support a wide range of cleanup areas and provide for such advancements as wearable robotic devices and confinement ventilation equipment. The TD Program budget would also support testing at various EM sites to evaluate innovative technologies to address high-priority needs.

“Technology development is a critical component of our Environmental Management mission. There are opportunities to enhance technology innovation to ensure our EM mission is a success,” said Nicole Nelson-Jean, EM associate principal deputy assistant secretary for field operations. “Our portfolio of technology development activities aims to improve worker safety. Potential technology investment areas include legacy tank waste disposition, remediation of soil and groundwater, facility decontamination and decommissioning, and the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel.”

Nick Wright, a mechanical engineer with Sandia National Laboratories, participates in a study of wearable robotics for tank farm workers who carry self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) respirators. In addition to the SCBA oxygen tank, Wright is wearing a powered knee exoskeleton device. The study will help determine if exoskeleton devices reduce fatigue and injury in EM workers.
Nick Wright, a mechanical engineer with Sandia National Laboratories, participates in a study of wearable robotics for tank farm workers who carry self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) respirators.
EM's fiscal year 2023 budget request would enable technical advancements, such as the continued development of autonomous ground vehicle radiation detection technology.
EM's fiscal year 2023 budget request would enable technical advancements, such as the continued development of autonomous ground vehicle radiation detection technology.

The proposed TD Program funding would allow EM to continue focusing on innovative solutions and state-of-the-art technology to reduce costs, accelerate schedules and protect human health and the environment.

The requested funding would enable technical advancements, such as the continued development of autonomous ground vehicle radiation detection technology that has enabled enhanced radiation monitoring, as well as survey applications.

The TD Program also provides technical assistance to EM cleanup sites. Technical subject matter experts are on hand from DOE’s national laboratories, academia, private industry and other federal agencies.