EM hits its mark with 2021 priorities, scorecard shows
EM Newsletter | 12/21/2021
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EM accomplished the majority of its cleanup priorities for calendar year (CY) 2021. Together, these accomplishments demonstrate the visible and effectual progress that is moving the EM program into a new era of cleanup.
EM’s CY 2021 Mission and Priorities Scorecard demonstrates that, despite the pandemic, EM again made significant strides in completing key projects, reducing the cleanup footprint, awarding major contracts that accelerate progress, and driving mission innovation and improved performance.
“We embarked on an ambitious slate of priorities this year and were able to achieve the vast majority of what we set out to do,” EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said. “These achievements were in no small part due to the strong support we received from state, tribal and local partners who share our
commitment to cleanup progress.”
EM completed major construction milestones for treatment of tank waste, the cleanup program’s most significant challenge. Hanford soon will begin operations of the Tank-Side Cesium
Removal system, which will filter low-activity tank waste before sending it to be vitrified, or immobilized, into glass logs for safe disposal. At the Savannah River Site, construction of the 33-million-gallon Saltstone Disposal Unit 7, or
SDU-7, was completed eight months ahead of schedule and $32 million under budget. It, along with other SDUs already built or under construction, is a key element in the site’s plans to accelerate the treatment of liquid waste and the closure of storage tanks.
Other key projects achieved in CY 2021 include:
A complete scorecard of CY 2021 priorities and other information can be accessed here. EM will announce its mission priorities for CY 2022 early in the
new year.
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT
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JANUARY 13, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) published a Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Planning for Establishment of a Program to Support the Availability of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) for Civilian Domestic Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial Use in the Federal Register.
DOE is working to enable the development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors as part of meeting the Administration’s job creation, energy security, and climate goals. Most advanced reactors, including several designs selected for the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program, are designed to be fueled by HALEU. The RFI aims to gather information to consider in preparing a required report to Congress describing actions proposed to be carried out by DOE under the
HALEU program.
Responses must be received by January 13, 2022 and may be submitted online or via email.
JANUARY 15, 2022
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary for Science and Energy and Office of Policy (OP) request information on energy sector supply chains. This request for information (RFI) seeks input from all stakeholders involved directly and indirectly in the supply chains of energy, energy systems and technologies, and energy efficiency technologies from raw materials, processed materials, subcomponents, final products, to end-of-life material recovery and
recycling—including but not limited to U.S. industry, researchers, academia, local governments, and civil society. This stakeholder input will inform the Department's efforts in building an energy sector industrial base that is diverse, resilient, and competitive while meeting economic, national security, and climate objectives.
MARCH 4, 2022
The Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Request for Information (RFI) on how to site Federal facilities for the temporary, consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel using a consent-based approach.
Responses to the RFI will inform development of a consent-based siting process, overall strategy for an integrated waste management system, and possibly a funding opportunity. DOE especially welcomes insight from people, communities, and groups that have historically not been well-represented in these discussions.
Responses must be received by March 4, 2022 by 5:00pm ET and may be submitted electronically to consentbasedsiting@hq.doe.gov, including “RFI: Consent-Based Siting and Federal Interim Storage” in the subject line of the email
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Advanced nuclear demos get boost with new DOE office
DOE Press Release | 12/21/2021
Earlier this week, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the establishment of the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, a new DOE office that will help deliver on President Biden’s climate agenda, create new, good-paying jobs for American families and workers, and reduce pollution while benefitting disadvantaged communities.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides more than $20 billion to establish the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and support clean energy technology demonstration projects in areas including clean hydrogen, carbon capture, grid-scale energy storage, and more. This includes $2.5 billion for advanced nuclear reactor demonstration.
Demonstration projects prove the effectiveness of innovative technologies in real-world conditions at scale in order to pave the way towards widespread adoption and deployment.
“Thanks to the investments Congress made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations will move clean energy technologies out of the lab and into local and regional economies across the country, proving the value of technologies that can deliver for communities, businesses, and markets,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
“This new Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations reflects President Biden’s commitment to help Americans turn on the lights in their homes, drive to work, and power their businesses using clean, affordable, and sustainable energy. This office will make life easier and safer for Americans all across the country,” said Mitch Landrieu, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator.
This investment in the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations is part of the $62 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will supercharge DOE’s work on clean energy demonstrations to deliver cutting edge clean technologies to communities and businesses across the country. These demonstrations will fund projects totaling hundreds of millions or multiple billions of dollars in scale and will unlock massive follow-on investment from the private sector to deploy these technologies,
delivering clean energy and creating good-paying jobs in communities across the country.
The office’s programs also include billions of dollars to invest in demonstration projects in rural areas and economically hard-hit communities - a critical focus of President Biden's Justice40 initiative aimed at delivering 40 percent of clean energy investment benefits to disadvantaged communities and those that are experiencing the first and worst impacts of climate change. The office will consistently engage environmental justice groups, labor, and
communities to help shape program development and execution. In addition to the large-scale projects, DOE will continue to support many smaller-scale pilots and demonstrations that are needed to meet the Administration’s climate goals.
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Read about DOE's High Level Waste Interpretation
Have questions about DOE’s recent high-level waste (HLW) interpretation? Download ECA’s Key Points and FAQs on the issue to better understand what ECA believes are the potential benefits of implementation.
Interested in learning more? Read the ECA report “Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High Level Waste Definition” at www.energyca.org/publications
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Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local governments.
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