The Oak Ridge Site, located in eastern Tennessee, is one of the three original sites in the Manhattan Project. The K-25 and Y-12 plants were built to explore different methods to enrich uranium, while the X-10 Site was established as a pilot plant for the Graphite Reactor and to explore methods for the production of plutonium. Throughout the following decades, the three sites purified isotopes, conducted advanced research, manufactured weapons components, and enriched uranium. These activities created environmental legacies that placed the Oak Ridge Reservation on EPA’s National Priorities List in 1989. Watch the video below to learn more about the cleanup progress and transformation happening at the Oak Ridge Site.
Oak Ridge News
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Gone from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is legacy radioactive waste that had been stored there for more than 50 years, thanks to continued cleanup progress from the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor UCOR.April 15, 2025
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) notched a significant cleanup achievement after crews finished characterizing all 21 hot cells at a Cold War facility.April 15, 2025
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Highest priority cleanup project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is removing nation’s inventory of Uranium-233 from storage in the world’s oldest operating nuclear facilityApril 1, 2025
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During his recent visit to Oak Ridge, Energy Secretary Chris Wright observed cleanup projects.March 18, 2025
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With the successful cleanup underway at the Oak Ridge Reservation serving as a “North Star,” the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management is entering into a “unique moment”.March 18, 2025
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Efforts lead way to enabling modernization, providing land for research, national security missionsMarch 4, 2025
John Arthur (Jay) Mullis II serves as the Manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM). He has served in this position since November 2017. Mullis is responsible for safely executing the environmental cleanup of the 30,000-acre Oak Ridge Reservation, which entails successfully managing the cleanup of the East Tennessee Technology Park, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Y-12 National Security Complex.
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High-Level Budget Information
FY22 Enacted (in the millions) | FY23 Request (in the millions) | FY23 Enacted (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY24 Enacted (in the millions) | FY25 Requested (in the millions) |
| $630 | $612 | $637 | $635 | $694 | $658 |
For more information on the Office of Environmental Management's budget process and performance check out the Budget & Performance page.