SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO - EM recently hosted four open houses, joining several stakeholder organizations in discussing with local residents the various community reindustrialization efforts being coordinated with the Portsmouth Site cleanup in southern Ohio.
The events occurred April 17 at the Scioto County Welcome Center in Portsmouth, April 19 at the Pike County YMCA in Waverly, April 24 at the Riverview Conference Center in Chillicothe, and April 26 at Jackson High School.
Besides EM and contractor personnel, representatives from Ohio University, the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI), and the Portsmouth Site Specific Advisory Board also met with participating citizens during the events.
“This was a great opportunity to talk about our collaborative efforts to satisfy the community’s desire to transition this Cold-War-Era site into an economic engine for future generations," said Joel Bradburne, deputy manager for the Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office and the Portsmouth Site Lead.
With initial transfers of federal property nearing final approval, citizens were invited to engage representatives of the various entities involved in planning and implementing future use of the Portsmouth reservation. Topics also included deactivation and decontamination efforts, the on-site waste disposal facility, workforce training initiatives, and technological advancements.
“We had these four open houses so citizens could participate close to home," said SODI Executive Director Steve Shepherd. “We appreciated hearing from area residents and being able to share information on what’s being done to transform the Piketon Site into a modern job-creating industrial and energy park."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
