Walsh Lays Out Vision for American Energy Hubs at Intergovernmental Meeting

ARLINGTON, Va. — Representatives of states, tribal nations, local governments and communities joined leaders of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) headquarters and field sites for the 24th Annual Intergovernmental Working Group meeting, where Assistant Secretary of Environmental Management Tim Walsh presented a video announcing American Energy Hubs, a bold initiative that's transforming former Manhattan Project and Cold War era sites into hubs for affordable energy production, innovation, and advanced manufacturing.

Stakeholders attending the meeting received updates from Walsh and other members of EM leadership and site representatives on cleanup progress, future priorities and opportunities for collaboration. For many attendees, the meeting marked their first opportunity to hear directly from Walsh regarding his vision for EM’s future. He emphasized the importance of accelerating cleanup while supporting the long-term revitalization of communities surrounding EM sites.

The meeting opened with a tribal invocation delivered by Yakama Nation Councilman JoDe Goudy, who welcomed participants with a prayer and traditional song in his native language.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Energy's offices of Environmental Management, Nuclear Energy and Legacy Management, and the National Nuclear Security Administration discuss how their missions intersect during the 24th Annual Intergovernmental Working Group meeting.

Marla Morales, acting deputy secretary for NE, provided an update on DOE’s Energy Innovation Campus initiative, sharing insights into the evaluation process currently underway. Morales noted that of the 28 proposals submitted by states and communities, DOE remains actively engaged in discussions with nine finalists.

Attendees emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong focus on EM’s core cleanup mission. Participants highlighted cleanup achievements and future site opportunities during the session, “Site Transformation: Progressing Cleanup and Preparing for the Future.”

Participants also received updates on Natural Resource Damage Assessment activities at the Oak Ridge, Hanford and Fernald sites. The assessments are processes led by DOE to identify the extent of injuries to natural resources caused by historic operations and to compensate the public for those lost resources. Attendees also received briefings on budget priorities and transportation-related initiatives.

Rosa Elmetti, lead program manager for Nuclear Materials and Used Fuels with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, presents during the session, “Enabling the Nuclear Renaissance and Nuclear Fuel Cycle,” at the 24th Annual Intergovernmental Working Group meeting.

A featured panel brought together leaders from EM, DOE’s offices of Nuclear Energy (NE) and Legacy Management, and the National Nuclear Security Administration to discuss ongoing collaboration across DOE on issues of mutual interest.

The meeting concluded with an interactive roundtable exercise that challenged participants to work through a hypothetical regulatory scenario, encouraging constructive dialogue and collaboration among federal, state, tribal and local partners.

“The conversations and relationships built through the Combined Intergovernmental Working Group are critical to achieving EM’s mission,” said Joceline Nahigian, director of EM’s Office of Intergovernmental and Stakeholder Programs. “By working collaboratively with states, tribal nations, local governments, and communities, we can accelerate cleanup progress, address complex challenges, and support the long-term success of the communities that have hosted DOE missions for decades as we execute the EM mission.”

-Contributor: Jill Conrad