A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management team from Oak Ridge was recently honored with the Secretary’s Achievement Award by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
According to a department release, the award was given to the Oak Ridge Vision 2020 Project Team for successfully removing a former uranium enrichment complex that cleared 13 million square feet of deteriorated, contaminated structures from the site. Members of the Vision 2020 Project Team include Brad Adams, Gary Chandler, Steve Clemons, Heather Cloar, Jim Daffron, Tracie Jackson, Dan Macias, Dawn Mills, Mike Mills, Mark Posey, Gary Riner, Ken Whittle and Chad York.
The Secretary’s Achievement Award honors a group or team of DOE employees and contractors who accomplish significant achievements on behalf of the department, demonstrating cooperation and teamwork in attaining their goals.
"These awards are bestowed on a select group of individuals who have gone above and beyond and whose creativity, drive and commitment have had a significant and lasting impact,” EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said in the release. “Their accomplishments clearly demonstrate EM’s vital mission and importance to the communities who host and support our sites.”
The Vision 2020 team undertook a decades-long effort to clean and transform the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, now known as the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). The site originally produced enriched uranium to power weaponry that ended World War II. It went on to produce uranium for defense and commercial purposes until the site was shut down permanently in 1987. The closure left hundreds of contaminated facilities that had to be remediated, demolished and disposed of. The Vision 2020 team and its crews deactivated and demolished more than 500 contaminated structures, an area that could cover 225 football fields.
EM and cleanup contractor UCOR completed the herculean effort four years ahead of schedule and $80 million under budget, avoiding $500 million in costs to taxpayers.
“We are very thankful and honored to have this outstanding team of DOE and UCOR members recognized by Secretary Granholm,” Oak Ridge Office of EM Acting Manager Laura Wilkerson said. “The magnitude of what these men and women accomplished is truly impressive. Their efforts made history and will benefit the community for many years to come.”
