The annual Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) Joint Meeting provides an opportunity for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM) to review accomplishments, discuss the progress of ongoing work, and strategically map out the future of FUSRAP.  

Due to ongoing COVID-19 precautions, USACE and LM virtually hosted the Fifth Annual FUSRAP Joint Meeting on Nov. 17-18, 2020. 

“Meetings like this have proven their value, not only to us but to our stakeholders and to the American taxpayer,” LM Director Carmelo Melendez said. “The annual meetings help streamline the process of transferring sites from USACE to LM for long-term surveillance and maintenance, thereby minimizing transition costs. LM has already seen a 60% reduction in forecasted long-term stewardship environmental liabilities in FUSRAP over the past four years.” 

FUSRAP was established in 1974 to identify and clean up sites that supported the Manhattan Project during World War II and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission during the Cold War. In 1997, Congress transferred management of FUSRAP to USACE, which is responsible for remediating FUSRAP sites before transferring them to LM for long-term stewardship.   

USACE FUSRAP National Program Manager Nicki Fatherly presented on USACE personnel and leadership changes as well as budget updates before showcasing the recent successes of the program. She noted the continued progress USACE has been able to make on active sites despite COVID-19. USACE FUSRAP National Program Action Officer Ivanna Goldsberry and USACE project managers provided briefings on sites that are scheduled to transfer to LM within the next five years. 

Meeting participants also discussed interagency working groups, which have proven invaluable in ensuring a common approach in executing FUSRAP. The Records and Data Management Working Group is finalizing its recommendations to streamline the transfer of records and environmental data from USACE to LM, with the aim of improving stakeholder responsiveness and reducing costs.   

The newest working group, the Inaccessible Soils Working Group, will be stood up in 2021 and will focus on identifying sites that may have quantities of inaccessible soils remaining upon transfer and determining the associated methods of long-term stewardship and maintenance needed by LM.  

“USACE and LM have made great progress over the past five years,” said LM Environmental Team 2 Lead Gwen Hooten. “I’m proud of the accomplishments that we have made together, and I’m looking forward to continued successes.” 

In the year to come, USACE and LM will continue the close collaboration that has become a hallmark of the success of the FUSRAP program. Learn more about the transferred FUSRAP sites in LM’s portfolio and how USACE continues to remediate active FUSRAP sites.