Interested parties learn about progress made at site in 20 years since cleanup completion
October 16, 2026
Estimated Read Time min
The 2026 Fernald Preserve annual meeting, held at the Fernald Preserve Visitors Center on Sept. 23, gave community members and stakeholders the opportunity to learn about site’s environmental and natural resource management programs. This year’s annual meeting focused on the details and information found in the Fernald Preserve 2025 Site Environmental Report.
“The annual meeting provides a great opportunity for us to engage with and update the community and our stakeholders on progress at the site,” noted Site Manager Brian Zimmerman. “While the cleanup was complete 20 years ago, we continue to conduct long-term monitoring and maintenance to ensure the remedy remains protective of human health and the environment.”
"We have a very engaged and well-informed public at Fernald," Zimmerman added. "I always say it's like having a third regulator. They really hold us to our commitments."
During the two-hour meeting, Fernald Preserve Site leadership and team members provided updates and technical information, covering environmental and ecological monitoring, groundwater treatment, the CERCLA five-year review, and the On-Site Disposal Facility.
As part of the discussion, presenters shared highlights from the year the past year, including a 95-acre prescribed burn and high visitation numbers with over 50,000 Fernald Preserve visitors. Presenters also noted that the groundwater treatment system removed 288 pounds of uranium from the aquifer and that the On-Site Disposal Facility continued to perform as designed.
Over the past twenty years, with the commitment and focused efforts of DOE, regulators, and the community, the site has undergone a remarkable transformation, turning from a former defense production site into a valued undeveloped park with an emphasis on wildlife. The area has become a favorite spot for birdwatchers and outdoor enthusiasts.
The site has served the community throughout, demonstrating beneficial reuse by providing seven miles of hiking trails, outreach programs, and regular educational programs for kids and adults alike. In addition, the Visitors Center features exhibits showcasing the history of the site and offers a community meeting room that can be reserved at no cost.
The Fernald Preserve 2025 Site Environmental Report is available under Site Documents at: www.energy.gov/lm/fernald-preserve-ohio-site. For more information about the Fernald Preserve Site and Visitors Center: email fernald@lm.doe.gov or call (513) 648-3330.
