What is Environmental Monitoring?
The safety of our workers, our community and the environment is DOE’s top priority. DOE and contractors work hard to make sure communities near our facilities maintain a safe and healthy environment. To do this, the Department has a robust environmental monitoring program that meets or exceeds state and national regulatory standards.
Environmental monitoring is a system of monitors that sample at regular times. The samples are then analyzed at a laboratory and assessed to see if site activities have any impact on the public or the environment.
The Portsmouth Site has an extensive monitoring program that samples for radiological and chemical contaminants in air, water, soil, sediment and biota (animals, vegetation, crops) on and near the plant site. Each year, more than 5,000 environmental monitoring data samples are collected. These samples provide over 100,000 environmental sampling results. The results of these monitoring efforts are reported in the Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER). The ASER is prepared each year for the public. Copies of the ASER are available here.
Air-monitoring
The Portsmouth Site air-monitoring network provides a layering of air monitoring equipment from the project boundary to off-site locations. Using input from the community, DOE lessons learned, industry best practices and meteorological data, DOE worked with Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to co-locate 23 air-monitoring stations. Co-located means that both DOE and OEPA or ODH take samples at the same location and analyze and report the data independently. The data for all the monitors is reported on the PPPO Environmental Geographical Analytical Spatial Information System (PEGASIS) website.
PortsDemo - Project Monitoring
As DOE prepared for demolition of the site’s process buildings, DOE worked with health and safety experts, the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio EPA to develop additional environmental monitoring layers to focus on demolition activities.
During demolition activities, airborne contamination is controlled and monitored for effectiveness. Fixatives are applied to the exterior of facilities with potential loose contamination that could be released into the air when demolition began. It is also applied to the piles of demolition debris on the ground. In addition, water misters suppress dust during demolition to act as further dust suppression.
Project monitors are located around current demolition areas to ensure that dust suppression measures are sufficient. DOE monitors in real-time for dust (particulate matter) and Alpha/Beta Radiation. The real-time monitors are an early warning system for any possible releases. Project personnel receive the data to make any necessary adjustments to the demolition process. During the X-326 Process Building demolition, there were no exceedances of regulatory standards in the air monitoring results from the project or site air monitors.
Current Status:
Data
The safety of our workers, our community and the environment is DOE’s top priority. DOE and contractors work hard to make sure communities near our facilities maintain a safe and healthy environment. To do this, the Department has a robust environmental monitoring program that meets or exceeds state and national regulatory standards.
Real-time data is gathered for dust (particulate matter) and radiation (Alpha/Beta). Real-time data is reported weekly. The real-time monitors include the process building demolition monitors and monitors A50, A51, A52, A53, A54, and A72. The real-time monitors are an early warning system for any possible releases.
Particulate Matter PM10
PM10 is small dust or droplets, also called particulate matter, that are ten microns or less.
Alpha/Beta
Alpha/Beta is an airborne alpha and beta radioactivity on dust particles.
Monthly reported data is gathered for dust (particulate matter), chemicals, metals, and asbestos. Samples are taken at regular times during the month and analyzed for the monthly report. The monitors reported monthly are the DOE/OEPA Co-located monitors.
Particulate Chart
The last update was on 12/09/2025.
Quarterly reported data is gathered for radiation (specific radionuclides) and reported on the PEGASIS website. Samples are taken at regular times during the quarter and analyzed for the quarterly report. The monitors reported quarterly are the DOE/ODH Co-located monitors.
PPPO Environmental Geographical Analytical Spatial Information System (PEGASIS)
PEGASIS was designed to provide dynamic mapping and environmental monitoring data display for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office (PPPO). The information made available and the environmental data display tools developed for PEGASIS are the result of input from various stakeholders including DOE and contractor staff, regulatory agencies, and members of the public.
Validated monthly and quarterly monitoring data is available through PEGASIS.