EM Weekly Report - 02/16/01

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT WEEKLY REPORT - February 16, 2001

I	Schedule

II	Key Departmental News

STAR Status:  Fernald Environmental Management Project has been awarded
gold star recognition status by the Office of Environment, Safety and
Health for their Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).  VPP promotes
safety and health excellence through cooperative efforts among labor,
management, and government at DOE sites.  Contractors that meet the
requirements for outstanding performance receive STAR recognition.  STAR
status is the highest safety performance and program honor that can be
achieved. 
Media Interest:  Local
Program Contact:  Tom Evans, 301-903-7609  

Oral Arguments on the Natural Resource Defense Council Petition Against
DOE for Requirements in DOE 435.1 were held on February 9, 2001:   The
petitioners in this litigation include both the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) and the Snake River Alliance.  Their argument is
that the Waste Incidental to Reprocessing requirements in DOE M 435.1
are "fundamentally inconsistent with the plain language of the Nuclear
Waste Policy Act (NWPA) and Congress' intent to ensure that high-level
waste does not 'adversely affect the public health and safety and the
environment for this or future generations'."  The panel of judges
inquired as to whether this case was proper to be argued before the
Ninth Circuit of Appeals, and questioned whether the NWPA was the
applicable statute.  A ruling is expected to be made in the next two to
six months. 
Media Interest:  None
Program Contact:  Ken Picha, 301-903-7199

Envirocare Presents Safety Plaque to the Fernald Environmental
Management Project (FEMP):  Envirocare of Utah, Incorporated, presented
a plaque to the DOE?Ohio Field Office recognizing Fernald's consistent
performance in making safe and compliant shipments to their facility. 
The Fernald Waste Pit Project completed shipping 970 waste loaded
gondola railcars in calendar year 2000  without any regulatory
compliance issues.  Fernald is the second largest waste volume shipper
to Envirocare.
Media Interest:  None
Program Contact:  Kim Chaney, 301-903-2778

Seven Million Work Hours Without Injuries or Accidents at Fernald:  
Fernald employees have reached seven million work hours without injuries
or accidents, contractor Fluor Fernald Co. announced last week.  The
achievement for workers at the Fernald Environmental Management Project
in Ohio surpasses the five million hours met in June and represents the
longest consecutive safe work-hour streak since 1992, when Fluor began
environmental restoration.  In a related accomplishment, the Greater
Cincinnati Building and Construction Trades Council and its
representative companies reached eight years without a lost-time
accident at FEMP.  Fluor Fernald President and CEO John Bradburne called
the achievement "the biggest change that I've seen take place since the
beginning of this cleanup project."
Media Interest:  Local
Program Contact:  Steve McCracken, 513, 648-3101

Mound Achieves Five Million Safe Work Hours:  On February 5, the Mound
Site (DOE and Babcock & Wilcox Technologies of Ohio, Inc.) achieved a
significant safety milestone - five million work hours without
experiencing a lost time day away from work case.  In honor of this
achievement, an award will be presented to all employees.
Media Interest:  None
Program Contact:  Rick Provencher, 937-865-3252

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Shipments:  As of February 14, WIPP
has received 149 shipments (17-LANL, 40?INEEL, 87-RFETS, and 5-Hanford)
since March 1999.  WIPP is scheduled to receive seven shipments this
week from RFETS and INEEL, four shipments from RFETS and three from
INEEL, weather permitting.
Media Interest:  None
Program Contact:  Mary Bisesi, 301-903-7416 

WIPP Visit by Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman:  Chairman
Richard Meserve of the NRC is visiting the WIPP site on February 23.  He
will be taken on a tour of the underground area and given an overview
briefing.  This visit was initially planned for January, but was
postponed until February 23. 
Media Interest:  Local
Program Contact:  Lynne Wade, 301-903-6828 

III	Work on Secretarial Initiatives
IV	Press Inquiries
V	FOIA Requests
VI	Grants, Economic Announcements and Publications
VII	Climate Change
VIII	Disaster Assistance
-- 
.....................................................
Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
                       -----                       
A schedule of meetings on DOE issues is posted on our Web site
http://www.local-oversight.org/meetings.html - E-mail loc@icx.net
.....................................................
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