Workers are making progress drilling holes for subsurface sampling that will provide critical data to inform safeguards in the broader mission to remediate soil at the West Valley Demonstration Project. December 16, 2025
Office of Environmental Management
December 16, 2025
minute read time
Geologists log samples at the geotechnical boring worksite at the West Valley Demonstration Project. The samples will be sent offsite for analysis.
WEST VALLEY, N.Y. — Workers are making progress drilling holes for subsurface sampling that will provide critical data to inform safeguards in the broader mission to remediate soil at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), once home to the only commercial spent nuclear fuel reprocessing facility to operate in the U.S.
By studying the soil, composition and groundwater flow beneath the surface, engineers will gain insight into the land’s character. Information collected from the sampling will be used to remediate soil at the former location of the Main Plant Process Building, which the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) successfully removed earlier this year.
“This work is about collecting the best data to make the best decisions,” said Stephen Bousquet, assistant director of Project Management for the EM cleanup site. “Beyond understanding soil conditions, we’re uncovering potential hazards like unstable ground. Every detail guides us toward the safest, most compliant path forward.”
Workers use a geotechnical boring machine to collect and evaluate soil, rock, groundwater and other conditions for future planning and design work in their mission to remediate soil at the at the West Valley Demonstration Project.
Data gathered from the subsurface sampling will serve as a blueprint, supporting planning and design of a retention wall to be constructed around the former Main Plant site. It will help stabilize the excavation area and prevent water infiltration, allowing crews to safely excavate the soil.
So far, EM and its prime contractor, West Valley Cleanup Alliance (WVCA), have drilled 11 of 20 planned boreholes. From varying depths, they’ve gathered soil samples — sending them offsite for analysis, each one a clue in the puzzle of how best to plan and protect the land.
“Ultimately, it comes down to stewardship,” said Day Way, manager of Decontamination and Decommissioning at WVCA. “Our objective is to mitigate legacy risks at the site. Accordingly, our planning and execution are guided by lessons learned and best practices derived from the data we have collected.”
-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere
To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address.