1995 News Releases
Westinghouse
WID Earns DOE Quality Award - 11/08/95
DOE
Accelerates WIPP Schedule - 10/20/95
WIPP Celebrates
National Quality Month - 10/13/95
Assistant DOE
Secretary Transfers WIPP Technology - 10/10/95
DOE Extends EIS
Public Comment Period - 10/06/95
DOE Closes
Underground Experimental Area - 09/28/95
SEIS Meetings
Held For WIPP - 09/12/95
Lee Named Deputy GM
For Westinghouse WID - 08/25/95
WIPP
Transportation System At Trade Show - 07/11/95
Technology
Transfer - 07/07/95
French Visit -
06/16/95
RCRA Permit
Application - 05/26/95
Lab Tests For
WIPP - 04/25/95
Earthquake Near
WIPP - 04/17/95
CAST Gets WIPP
Transportation Contract - 03/30/95
Recycling at WIPP
- 03/23/95
1-800 number for
WIPP - 03/07/95
Technology
Transfer - 02/01/95
Transportation
Contract Protested - 01/30/95
CAO Budget -
01/27/95
Graham Visits
WIPP - 01/12/95
WIPP gets Best
Mine Award - 01/10/95
WESTINGHOUSE
WID EARNS DOE QUALITY AWARD
DOE PRESENTS ENERGY QUALITY AWARD TO
WIPP CONTRACTOR
CARLSBAD, N.M., Nov. 8 -- The U. S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office today honored the Westinghouse
Waste Isolation Division (WID) for winning the highest award given in the first
annual DOE Quality Awards Program. The Energy Quality Award was presented to WID
General Manager Joe Epstein by Secretary of Energy Hazel O'Leary on October 24,
during ceremonies at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C. The WID is the
management and operating contractor for the DOE at the Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant (WIPP).
In today's local ceremony at the WIPP,
Carlsbad Area Office Manager George Dials cited the WID's achievement as yet
another example of how the quality culture promoted by the DOE has taken hold at
the WIPP. Earlier this year, the WID received top honors from Westinghouse
corporate headquarters by winning the Westinghouse Chairman's Performance
Leadership Award.
"Today, I am recognizing
Westinghouse and its employees for continuous attention to quality
performance," said Dials. "This is the level of performance that is
expected and required to move the WIPP program forward in our efforts to open
this nation's first radioactive waste repository."
Dials addressed the gathering of WID
personnel, saying that the Energy Quality Award is not an end in itself.
"Winning this award is merely an indicator that you have what it takes to
excel at a task," he told the group. "I have challenged myself and
made a personal commitment to get the WIPP open and operating. I want each and
every one of you take that same challenge and renew your commitment to this
project."
WID General Manager Joe Epstein and
employees representing each of the WID departments accepted the award on behalf
of all the employees. "We have received several awards in the total quality
arena, but the Energy Quality Award ranks the highest because it comes from our
customer -- the DOE," Epstein said.
The WID was one of two winners in the
Achievement category, the highest level awarded this year in the DOE Quality
Award Program. The DOE's Albuquerque Operations Office was the other recipient
of an Achievement Award. Two other New Mexico-based DOE operations were honored
in the competition as well. Sandia National Laboratories received an Energy
Accomplishment Award, and Los Alamos National Laboratory won an Energy Quality
Champion Award. The program is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige and
President's Quality Award programs. A total of 29 DOE organizations submitted
applications for the 1995 awards.
"It is interesting, but not a
coincidence, that four of the nine winning organizations are based in New
Mexico," Epstein noted. "Total quality management has been at the core
of the Westinghouse culture for many years, but the state of New Mexico has also
embraced the quality improvement concepts in recent years through the creation
of Quality New Mexico."
The DOE and Westinghouse support the
Quality New Mexico Organization through participation in workshops, promotional
activities, and awards competitions. Quality New Mexico was created in 1993 to
promote and develop a statewide focus on quality practices to ensure New
Mexico's achievement of world-class excellence in business, education, and
government.
The WIPP is designed to permanently
dispose of transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production
of nuclear weapons. Administered by the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, the WIPP is
located 26 miles east of Carlsbad. Project facilities include excavated rooms
2,150 feet below the earth's surface in an ancient, stable salt formation.
005DR1195
WIPP CELEBRATES
NATIONAL QUALITY MONTH
WIPP PERSONNEL CELEBRATE NATIONAL
QUALITY MONTH
CARLSBAD, N.M., Oct. 13 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office and its main contractors,
Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Sandia National Laboratories, are
celebrating National Quality Month at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Several National Quality Month
activities are taking place in October, including "Lunch with
Leaders," total quality training courses, and a visit from former astronaut
Mike Mullane.
National Quality Month, created in
1984 by presidential proclamation, challenges American businesses, industry,
government and academia to put "Quality First." This national
commitment to quality now spans three presidential administrations.
Beginning in October 1994, the
Carlsbad Area Office, Westinghouse and Sandia made the decision to bring
"Quality First" closer to home by arranging specialized activities
that bring quality to the forefront.
The "Lunch with Leaders"
activity, which was well received in 1994, allows senior management from the
DOE, Westinghouse and Sandia an informal setting to recognize quality
contributors at the WIPP, and to discuss quality improvement concepts with
employees. A special twist has been added for leaders and employees taking part
in this activity. Lunch is served almost half a mile underground at the WIPP
repository level to allow mining personnel the opportunity to participate.
"As we approach the 21st century,
and a new era of quality, technology will raise capabilities and
expectations," said George Dials, manager of the Carlsbad Area Office, who
generally leads the Lunch with Leaders activity. "The distinction between
product and service will be a blur. Quality, meanwhile, will be understood in a
whole new light. In an ever-changing world, 'Quality First' is a strategy that
employees associated with the WIPP understand and embrace."
The DOE continually explores ways to
reward and recognize employees for quality performance. A number of recognition
programs are used by various DOE offices.
"Recognizing and rewarding
employee contributions and accomplishments are an important part of creating a
quality culture," said Dials. "When employees know that their efforts
are appreciated, it increases their self-esteem and satisfaction with their
jobs. Their improved attitude toward their job encourages them to aim for
quality and increases productivity." 25DR1095
DOE ACCELERATES
WIPP SCHEDULE
DOE ACCELERATES SCHEDULE TO OPEN THE
WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M., Oct. 20 -- The
acceleration of regulatory activities by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
Carlsbad Area Office will allow for an earlier decision to begin nuclear waste
disposal operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
The DOE had originally scheduled
January 1998 for the Secretary of Energy to make a decision to open the WIPP as
the nation's first deep geologic nuclear waste repository. That schedule has
been accelerated by two months, to Oct. 31, 1997, said George Dials, Manager of
the Carlsbad Area Office, which oversees the WIPP project.
"In July, U.S. Rep. Dan Schaefer
(R-CO) asked me to look at the current schedule to see if we could start waste
operations any sooner," said George Dials, Manager of the Carlsbad Area
Office. "We looked at the WIPP Disposal Decision Plan and found that,
through process improvement and by conducting more activities in parallel, the
DOE will be in a position to make a decision earlier than originally
planned."
"I am confident that we can
achieve this schedule and open the WIPP, which is essential if we are to begin
solving this nation's nuclear waste problem."
Schaefer serves on the House Commerce
Committee and is the chair of the subcommittee on Energy and Power. The lawmaker
is also co-sponsoring legislation that will speed up the opening of the WIPP.
U.S. Rep. Joe Skeen (R-NM) and U.S. Rep. Mike Crapo (D-Idaho) are coauthors of
House Bill 1663, which, if passed by Congress, will help open the WIPP sooner.
Submission of the final Compliance
Certification Application is one of the key regulatory milestones that will
allow the DOE to make an earlier disposal decision, said Dials. The document is
scheduled to be presented to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
October 1996.
"This is a significant change
that will allow us to open the facility sooner," said Dials. "The
decision for an earlier submission was made after all program participants
reviewed the schedule and agreed that the final compliance document could be
submitted to the EPA two months sooner."
The WIPP, located 26 miles east of
Carlsbad, is a proposed repository for defense-generated nuclear waste remaining
from defense-related activities. Project facilities include disposal rooms mined
2,150 feet underground in an ancient, stable salt formation. Upon certification
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), expected in October 1997, the WIPP
will begin disposal operations in April 1998. 26DR1095
ASSISTANT DOE
SECRETARY TRANSFERS WIPP TECHNOLOGY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY ILLUSTRATES DOE'S
DIVERSITY IN TECH TRANSFER
WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 10 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) transferred information technology to a
Virginia-based woman-owned business that specializes in professional development
training. The transfer of technology is in support of a continuing commitment by
DOE Secretary Hazel O'Leary to make research and development of technology
available to private industry, including small and minority-owned business.
Thomas Grumbly, Assistant Secretary
for the DOE's Office of Environmental Management, presented Patricia
Guggenheimer, president of Cavalier Development Company in Nokesville, VA, with
computerized self-paced professional development modules, created at the DOE's
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M.. The Virginia-based
company, which has been operating for 10 years, plans to modify the training
courses and market them to the private sector.
"The Secretary continually
expresses the importance of diversity and technology transfer," said
Grumbly. "The Department has made significant progress in achieving both
initiatives. I believe this transfer illustrates how the private sector benefits
from contractor-developed, government-funded technology."
"The transfer of $2 million worth
of technology from the DOE to Cavalier Development Company is exactly the boost
a woman-owned, small business needs to compete in a global marketplace,"
said Guggenheimer. "This technology moves CDC, which specializes in change
management and team building, forward in its ability to service its customers by
five years. This transfer of technology is a perfect example of how government
can help women-owned, small companies achieve excellence."
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the
primary contractor for the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, created the professional
development technology for company and DOE employees at the WIPP. Guggenheimer
learned of the availability of the technology by answering a notice that was
place on the Internet. The Internet is a growing international computer network
that is accessible by millions of people.
Since March of this year, The Carlsbad
Area Office and Westinghouse have been posting technology transfer notices on
the Internet. More than 1,000 technology transfer requests have been received
because of the notices. Of the 59 technology transfers to date, or approximately
32 percent, have been made to small, small disadvantaged, and women-owned
businesses.
The DOE technology transfer program is
designed to promote economic development and competitiveness in the private
sector; improve the quality of organizational operations; enhance education and
training; and ensure maximum return on taxpayer investment. Most DOE-funded,
Westinghouse-developed technologies are available to organizations for
nonexclusive commercialization or internal use at no cost.
Always looking for ways to better
serve the taxpayer, the Carlsbad Area Office and Westinghouse are venturing into
paper less customer-oriented information transfers. Any company with a computer
and modem will be able to download product information and an approval form.
Faster transfers will result. There will also be a reduction in paper usage and
postage costs, while giving taxpayers "real-time" access to DOE-funded
information technology.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility administered by the Carlsbad Area Office. Located in southeastern New
Mexico, it is designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of
transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear
weapons. Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's
surface in an ancient, stable salt formation.
Anyone interested in more information
on the Carlsbad Area Office's Technology Transfer Program can call either Alison
Miner of the Carlsbad Area Office at (505) 234-7321, or Bill Keeley of
Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division at (505) 234-7594. Keeley, who is the
Westinghouse Senior Administrative Manager of Technology Transfer and Economic
Development, also can be reached through the Internet at Paul.DeVito@wipp.ws.
For additional information on the WIPP, please call toll free, 1-800-336-WIPP
(9477). 24DR1195
DOE EXTENDS EIS
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED FOR WIPP
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
CARLSBAD, N.M., Oct. 6 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) is extending until Oct. 16, 1995, the public scoping
period for a second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement at the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
The purpose of the scoping process is
to ensure, through public input, that all appropriate topics to be reviewed in
the second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement document are identified.
The DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, which
administers the WIPP program, is also holding an additional public scoping
session from 7 to 9 p.m., Oct. 11, at the Broomfield Recreation Center, 300
Community Park Drive, Broomfield, Colo. The meeting is in response to a request
received by stakeholders in the Denver Metro Area. Public scoping opportunities
were previously held Sept. 7-20 in Carlsbad, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M.,
Denver, Colo., and Boise, Idaho.
The second supplement will update the
information contained in the first Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement,
completed in 1990, and the original 1980 WIPP Environmental Impact Statement.
Generally, this study will evaluate new information and any changes related to
the environmental impacts of waste characterization, treatment, and
certification; packaging and transportation; site operations and waste
emplacement; and long-term performance of the repository.
Comments should be postmarked no later
than Oct. 16. to Harold Johnson, DOE NEPA Compliance Office, c/o Battelle, 200
Randolph Road SE, #105, Albuquerque, NM 87106. Comments may also be faxed to
(505) 224-8030.
The WIPP, located 26 miles east of
Carlsbad, N.M., is designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of
transuranic radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons.
Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface
in an ancient, stable salt formation.
For more information on the second
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process or the WIPP, please call the
WIPP Information Center, toll free, at 1-800-336-WIPP (9477). 25DR1095
DOE CLOSES
UNDERGOUND EXPERIMENTAL AREA
DOE CLOSES PORTION OF WIPP UNDERGROUND
EXPERIMENTAL AREA
CARLSBAD, N.M., September 28 -- The
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office today announced that it is
closing part of the underground experimental area at the Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant (WIPP).
According to George Dials, manager of
the Carlsbad Area Office, the northeast area of the WIPP underground is
scheduled to be closed by Sept. 29 to personnel access because all pertinent
geotechnical data have been collected to support the operation of the WIPP.
"A majority of nonradioactive
tests needed to determine the suitability of the WIPP as a nuclear waste
repository, have been done," said Dials. "It just makes sense, from
the safety and economic aspects, to remove that area from routine human
access."
Experiments in the northeast end of
the WIPP underground involved the study of salt rock closure and movement.
Creep, or movement, of the salt is monitored to see how long it will take to
encapsulate and isolate the waste after it has been placed underground. Data
collection in the northwest area of the WIPP underground is anticipated to be
completed by mid-1996, with closure to begin soon thereafter.
The northern end of the WIPP
underground was mined in the early 1980s specifically as an area for
nonradioactive experiments where scientists studied the geologic characteristics
of the proposed nuclear waste repository. Radioactive experiments are being
conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratories.
Phase I of the Experimental Area
Management Plan will be completed by the end of September, said Rick Sowers,
Westinghouse Electric Corporation's manager of mine operations. Underground
operations personnel will salvage instruments and wiring that can be safely
removed from the WIPP underground. When completed, the area will be barricaded
to prevent access.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility operated by the Carlsbad Area Office. Located in southeastern New
Mexico, it is designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of
transuranic radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons.
Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface
in an ancient, stable salt formation.
When all applicable state and federal
environmental regulations have been met, the Secretary of Energy is expected to
make a decision in January 1998 to open the WIPP as the nation's first deep
geologic nuclear waste repository.
Westinghouse's Waste Isolation
Division serves as the management and operating contractor for the DOE at the
WIPP. 19DR0795
PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD
FOR WIPP SEIS-II
ENERGY DEPARTMENT TO HOST PUBLIC INPUT
SESSIONS ON WIPP
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 12 -- The
U.S. Department of Energy is hosting two interactive sessions here today to
gather public comments for a second Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. The sessions are
scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Pyramid, 5151 San
Francisco Road NE.
The purpose of the scoping process is
to ensure that all appropriate topics to be reviewed in the second Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement document have been identified. The second
supplement will update the information contained in the first Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement, completed in 1990, and the original 1980 WIPP
Environmental Impact Statement. Generally, this study will evaluate the
environmental impacts of waste characterization, treatment, and certification;
packaging and transportation; site operations and waste emplacement; and
long-term performance of the repository. Examples include:
-
Inclusion of waste at sites where
small quantities of radioactive waste are generated or stored;
-
Changes in the volume of waste
since 1990 estimates were made;
-
Legislative changes since 1990,
such as the Land Withdrawal Act of 1992, and any changes that may be enacted
by the 104th Congress;
-
Changes in the planned routes for
truck transportation; and
-
Changes in the waste acceptance
criteria since 1990.
Additional public sessions are
scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14 in Santa Fe; and Sept. 19-20 in Golden, Co. and
Boise, Id.
Upon completion of the interactive
scoping sessions, the DOE will begin preparation of the draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement document, scheduled for completion in 1996.
Public hearings will then be held to consider the draft. Pertinent comments will
be included in the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement document.
Under the proposed action, the DOE
will continue with its phased development of the WIPP by beginning waste
disposal activities in 1998, dependant on approval from the Environmental
Protection Agency.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility administered by the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office. Located 26 miles east
of Carlsbad, it is designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of
transuranic radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons.
Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface
in an ancient, stable salt formation.
For more information on the second
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process or the WIPP, please call the
WIPP Information Center, toll free, at 1-800-336-WIPP (9477). 20DR0995
LEE NAMED DEPUTY GM FOR
WESTINGHOUSE WID
LEE NAMED WID DEPUTY MANAGER
CARLSBAD, N.M., Aug. 25 --
Westinghouse Electric Corporation today named John L. Lee as the deputy general
manager of the Waste Isolation Division (WID) at the U.S. Department of Energy's
(DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Lee, manager of WID facility
operations at the WIPP from 1990 to 1993, returns to Carlsbad following two
years as director of Tank Farm Transition Projects at Westinghouse Hanford
Company near Richland, Wash. Westinghouse is the management and operating
contractor for the DOE at the WIPP and Hanford facilities.
In making the announcement, WID
General Manager Joe Epstein said Lee will officially begin his duties on Oct. 1,
1995. "We expect John's transition to be smooth," he said. "He
brings valuable knowledge and experience to the project."
Lee said he and his wife, Jean, are
excited about returning to southeastern New Mexico and the WIPP. "It's a
pleasure to be back," he said. "I look forward to undertaking the
challenge of helping to open the nation's first deep geologic radioactive waste
repository."
The WIPP is administered by the DOE's
Carlsbad Area Office. Located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, the proposed repository
is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive
waste in ancient, stable salt beds located 2,150 feet below the earth's surface.
Waste shipments are scheduled to begin in 1998, pending approval by the
Environmental Protection Agency. 16WR0895
SPECIAL TO TRICIPE
III TRADE SHOW
'SAFEST' RADIOACTIVE, HAZARDOUS WASTE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AT TRICIPE III
BEND, Ore., July 11 -- One of the
safest radioactive and hazardous waste transportation systems designed will be
on exhibit at the Aug. 9- 10 TriCiPe III Trade Show in Kennewick, Wash.
TriCiPe III, to be held at the
Tri-Cities Coliseum, spotlights the latest technologies in radioactive and
hazardous materials handling, cleanup and disposal, pollution monitoring and
remediation, recycling, workplace safety and other environmental fields.
Last year's show attracted more than
250 exhibitors from all over the United States and Canada and drew approximately
3,000 attendees during its two-day run.
On loan from the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) for the show, the Transuranic Package Transporter, Model 2 (TRUPACT-II)
is specially designed to safely transport drums of transuranic radioactive waste
to the DOE's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. The public
can view the transporter from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
The WIPP is one valuable solution to
the nation's nuclear waste disposal problem. Operated by the DOE's Carlsbad Area
Office, the facility is designed for the safe, permanent disposal of transuranic
radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons. Project
facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in a
stable, ancient salt formation.
Transuranic waste will be transported
to the WIPP from 10 temporary storage sites nationwide, including the Hanford
Site, a 560-square-mile area that has extensive problems of contamination by
nuclear and hazardous wastes.
Transuranic waste is contaminated with
radioactive elements heavier than uranium, primarily plutonium. The dry waste
generally consists of clothing, tools, rags and other items used while making
and maintaining nuclear weapons. This trash -- if not contaminated with
radioactive and chemically hazardous materials -- could be disposed of in a
regular landfill.
Described by the National Academy of
Sciences as "the safest (transportation system) employed for any hazardous
material in the United States today," the TRUPACT-II measures eight feet in
diameter and 10 feet high. The receptacle is certified by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) and considered safe under U.S. Department of Transportation
standards. At a cost of about $350,000, the leaktight container is built with
stainless steel and constructed with inner and outer containment vessels.
Before its original certification by
the NRC in 1989, the TRUPACT-II underwent extensive drop, puncture and burn
tests by engineers at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M. Each
container can hold two layers of seven 55-gallon drums containing radioactive
waste.
Conventional lightweight diesel
tractor and semi-trailers are designed to transport as many as three TRUPACT-II
containers. Features of these carriers include a computer console linking the
vehicle with a satellite tracking system, nationwide tracking by a central
monitoring room at the WIPP site, and mobile telephones to allow direct two-way
communication.
Drivers are required to pass stringent
traffic safety and emergency response examinations, maintain good driving
records and renew their certification each year. Training for the drivers
includes a recovery procedure in case a TRUPACT-II becomes separated from the
trailer in an accident.
When all applicable state and federal
environmental regulations have been met, the Secretary of Energy is expected to
make a decision in Jan. 1998 to open the WIPP as the nation's first nuclear
waste repository. 13WR0795
TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER
DOE, WESTINGHOUSE USE AGGRESSIVE
APPROACH TO TRANSFER WIPP TECHNOLOGY
CARLSBAD, N.M., July 7 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office and Westinghouse Electric
Corporation's Waste Isolation Division are aggressively sharing taxpayer-funded
technology with local, state and national businesses and organizations.
Since revamping the Waste Isolation
Pilot Plant's (WIPP) technology transfer program in January, the Carlsbad Area
Office and Westinghouse have completed 16 technology transfer projects with
businesses and organizations; 13 others are near completion. The Carlsbad Area
Office administers the WIPP program, while Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor for the DOE at the WIPP.
Eddy County businesses and
organizations are among the big winners that use technology generated at the
WIPP. For example, Eddy Potash and the Guadalupe Medical Center have received
WIPP-developed training courses. Alsop & Associates of Carlsbad has received
specialized survey materials, and the Loving Municipal School District is
enjoying continued assistance in information technology from Westinghouse and
the Carlsbad Area Office.
"When people hear the word
'technology,' they usually think of machines, computers, tools and other types
of hardware," said Jim Walls, manager of Westinghouse's Technology Transfer
and Economic Development Group at the WIPP. "Our definition, however,
includes other technologies including training materials, technical manuals and
documents."
The Carlsbad Area Office-Westinghouse
technology transfer program is designed to promote economic development and
competitiveness in the private sector; improve the quality of organizational
operations; enhance education and training; and ensure maximum return on
taxpayer investment. Most DOE-funded, Westinghouse-developed technologies are
available to organizations for nonexclusive commercialization or internal use at
no cost.
According to Westinghouse's Bill
Keeley, the Carlsbad Area Office and Westinghouse travel into cyberspace to
market the WIPP technology. "We use the Internet to post notices on
relevant mailing lists and have received responses from all over the
country," he said.
The unique marketing approach is
paying off, Keeley said. Since January, the Carlsbad Area Office and
Westinghouse have contacted over 11,000 organizations about technology transfer
opportunities and have received more than 475 inquiries.
"Our innovative process allows us
to partner with a variety of WIPP stakeholders," said Alison Miner, team
leader for the Carlsbad Area Office's Planning and Analysis Group. "The
process provides us with an opportunity to help organizations grow and improve
their operations. Ultimately, this benefits all taxpayers."
Fifteen companies, organizations and
colleges from six states have received, or are about to receive, WIPP
technology. Technology transfers include:
-
A business school professor at the
University of Nebraska at Omaha and her graduate students modified WIPP
training materials and secured a contract with the Kellogg Company to
conduct training for self-directed work teams.
-
The department chair of human
resources studies at Cornell University is making use of a
DOE/Westinghouse-developed survey in the courses he teaches.
-
BDM Federal of Albuquerque is
aggressively marketing commercial products developed from WIPP technologies.
-
WIPP-generated computer hardware
and software for confined space training will be used at Eastern New Mexico
University in Roswell, and at the New Mexico Firefighters Training Academy
in Soccoro.
In the future, the DOE and
Westinghouse plan to establish a WIPP technology transfer hub, and an Internet
bulletin board specifically designed to inform small, women-owned and
minority-owned businesses about WIPP technology transfer opportunities.
The WIPP is a proposed repository
designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste left from the
research and production of nuclear weapons. Operated by the DOE's Carlsbad Area
Office, the WIPP is located 26 miles east of Carlsbad. Project facilities
include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in an ancient,
stable salt formation.
Anyone interested in more information
on WIPP technology transfer opportunities can call Keeley at (505) 234-7594 or
reach him through the Internet at Paul.DeVito@wipp.ws. 17DR0695
FRENCH VISIT WIPP
FRENCH OFFICIALS AGREE WIPP IS ONE
VALUABLE SOLUTION
CARLSBAD, N.M., June 16 -- Officials
representing the French High Commission for Nuclear Energy say the U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the world's
best hope for a partial solution to the global nuclear waste disposal problem.
Robert Dautray, French high
commissioner for Nuclear Energy, along with Daniel Leroy, counselor for nuclear
affairs at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., visited the WIPP on a
fact-finding mission recently, hoping to find answers to solve France's nuclear
waste dilemma.
"When it comes to design and
modeling, the WIPP is No. 1 in the world," said Dautray. "We have made
a survey of the geological mediums in Europe. Like you, we have found that salt,
because of its plastic qualities, is the best medium for disposing of nuclear
waste. You are in a situation, even as a pilot-demonstration project, that is
exceptional."
Administered by the Carlsbad Area
Office, the WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive
waste left from U.S. nuclear weapons research and production. Project
facilities, located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, include disposal rooms mined
2,150 feet beneath the earth's surface in a stable, ancient salt formation. The
DOE project is scheduled to receive its first waste shipment in June 1998, after
meeting all applicable state and federal regulations.
During their whirlwind trip through
southeastern New Mexico, the French officials received an overview of the U.S.
nuclear waste problem, toured the WIPP surface and underground facilities, and
learned of the state-of-the-art ground monitoring and modeling that is in place
at the proposed repository.
"We are very impressed with the
monitoring devices and the modeling that are in place here," said Leroy.
"This is what we are trying to do in France. You have what amounts to an
underground laboratory; this is how we need to approach siting a repository in
our country."
Dautray learned of the WIPP five years
ago when speaking with Charles Fairhurst, chair for the National Academy of
Sciences WIPP Panel. "Mr. Fairhurst told me years ago that this was a place
I needed to visit because it is a possible solution to the nuclear waste
problem," said Dautray. "I'm glad we were finally able to get out
here."
"This facility is of the highest
quality," said Leroy. "Quality and safety here are outstanding. We
have seen all the facilities in Europe and this one far exceeds them."
In closing, the French officials said
that a stable salt formation, coupled with the lack of any major seismic
activity in the area and no water sources, make the WIPP an ideal site to
dispose of radioactive waste. The facility's multiple safety mechanisms and
facility design are also impressive, said Dautray and Leroy.
"It's hard to believe that this
facility doesn't have waste yet," said Dautray. "This is one solution
to solving the global nuclear waste problem so that it will not continue to
affect our children and our children's children. I only hope this project is a
success." 18DR0695
RCRA PERMIT
APPLICATION
DOE CLOSER TO SOLVING TRANSURANIC
NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL PROBLEM, OPENING WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M., May 26 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) is closer to solving a part of the nation's nuclear
waste disposal problem, meeting two major milestones that will lead to a
decision to open the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in 1998.
The DOE's Carlsbad Area Office (CAO)
and Westinghouse Electric Corporation submitted a revised Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B permit application to the New Mexico Environment
Department (NMED) on May 26, 1995. The CAO also completed a draft petition for a
No-Migration Determination that will allow radioactive and hazardous-mixed waste
disposal. It will be formally delivered to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) on May 31, 1995. Both documents were completed ahead of schedule.
"By submitting the RCRA Part B
permit application and the draft No-Migration petition, we have met every
milestone established in the WIPP Disposal Decision Plan," said George
Dials, manager of the Carlsbad Area Office. "We are two steps closer to
demonstrating compliance with environmental regulations as required by
Congress."
Most of the radioactive waste
identified for permanent disposal at the WIPP will contain small amounts of
hazardous constituents such as lead and cleaning solvent. The RCRA permit is
required before the WIPP can accept this type of waste for disposal.
Passed by Congress in 1976 and
significantly amended in 1984, the RCRA was established to track and regulate
hazardous wastes from the time of generation to disposal. The law requires safe
and secure procedures in treating, handling, transporting, storing, and
disposing of hazardous wastes.
In 1993, a draft version of the RCRA
Part B permit was published by the NMED for a "test phase" at the WIPP.
After the DOE decided in October 1993 not to conduct radioactive tests at the
WIPP, the NMED withdrew the draft permit and ordered that a revised permit
application be submitted by May 31, 1995. The revised permit application
addresses the "disposal phase" at the WIPP.
Dials said the eight-month process to
revise the application "allowed us to work through specific issues with the
NMED and enhance the DOE's associations with the state and stakeholders."
Three public meetings were held in Albuquerque to explain revisions to the
application. The DOE official anticipates that the NMED will issue a RCRA permit
for the WIPP disposal phase in mid 1997.
The draft No-Migration Variance
Petition will demonstrate, within a reasonable degree of certainty, that there
will be no movement of hazardous constituents from the WIPP disposal area -- for
as long as the wastes remain hazardous. The DOE will submit a final No-Migration
Variance Petition in June 1996.
The RCRA permit and a No-Migration
Determination are two of three regulatory approvals needed before the WIPP can
open as the nation's first permanent repository for nuclear waste. The third is
certification by the EPA that the WIPP complies with long-term radioactive
disposal standards.
A draft application for that
certification was submitted to the EPA on March 31, 1995. The DOE will submit
the final application in late 1996.
Administered by the Carlsbad Area
Office, the WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive
waste left from nuclear weapons research and production. Project facilities
include disposal rooms mined 2,150 feet beneath the earth's surface in a stable,
ancient salt formation. The DOE project is scheduled to receive its first waste
shipment in June 1998, after meeting all applicable state and federal
regulations. 16DR0695
WIPP LAB TESTS
WIPP RADIOACTIVE WASTE TESTS BEGIN
WEDNESDAY AT LOS ALAMOS
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 25 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) transuranic
radioactive waste tests begin Wednesday, April 26, at Los Alamos National
Laboratory (LANL).
Results from the Actinide Source-Term
Waste Test Program (STTP) will confirm performance assessment computer models
that help determine if the WIPP is suitable to safely and permanently dispose of
defense-generated transuranic waste. The program is expected to last three to
five years. Preliminary data from the tests, some of which will be available in
late May, will confirm performance assessment models used to show compliance
with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) long-term radionuclide
containment standards. The DOE's final compliance certification application will
be submitted to the EPA in December 1996.
"It is important that these tests
get underway now so that data will be available to support our 1996 EPA
compliance application," said George Dials, manager of the DOE's Carlsbad
Area Office. "We expect that the data will support the information we have
already collected on this subject."
The WIPP is a research and development
facility operated by the Carlsbad Area Office. Located 26 miles east of
Carlsbad, it is designed for the safe, permanent disposal of transuranic
radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons. Project
facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in an
ancient stable salt formation.
According to the DOE, the tests are
designed to establish the behavior of transuranic elements in waste when mixed
with brine, which is present in minute amounts in salt formations. Tests will be
conducted on several transuranic waste types, typical of those temporarily
stored at DOE sites nationwide.
Transuranic waste is contaminated with
radioactive elements heavier than uranium, primarily plutonium. The dry waste
generally consists of clothing, tools, rags and other items used while making
and maintaining nuclear weapons. This trash -- if not contaminated with
radioactive and chemically hazardous materials -- could be disposed of in a
regular landfill.
The DOE canceled underground tests
with radioactive materials at the WIPP in October 1993 because of scientific and
budgetary questions. Tests in laboratory settings, with both simulated and
radioactive wastes, will demonstrate compliance with EPA requirements.
In a laboratory, certain repository
conditions, like those that might exist at the WIPP thousands of years in the
future, can be simulated. Laboratory data will add to an already solid
scientific foundation for the WIPP facility, allowing an earlier disposal
decision to be made.
Radioactive waste already
characterized for disposal at the WIPP is readily available at LANL for this
experimental program. This was a major factor in the DOE's selection of LANL as
the test facility, along with the cost-effectiveness of its proposed approach.
The STTP consists of 15 drum-scale
tests with heterogeneous wastes (combustibles, laboratory, wastes, metals,
etc.), 33 liter-scale tests with homogeneous wastes (sludges, cemented or
solidified waste, pyrochemical salts, etc.) and six pressurized liter-scale
tests at 60 bar (870 pounds per square inch gauge) with homogeneous waste. Each
set of experiments contains certain influencing variables designed to illustrate
the behavior of actinides in actual waste immersed in brine.
Actinides are radioactive elements
including thorium, uranium and others that have an atomic number greater than
uranium.
Complex analytical measurements will
be conducted periodically on brine samples to determine the effect of each waste
type on properties of actinides and to determine gas generation characteristics
of the waste. The analytical results from these experiments will provide an
understanding of the chemistry of actinides under conditions similar to the WIPP
waste disposal rooms. The chemical equilibrium achieved by the actinides in the
tests will serve to effectively demonstrate the overall long-term disposition of
radionuclides in the WIPP.
The STTP will provide a technological
base to augment other studies to ensure compliance of the WIPP with the DOE and
EPA regulations.
Located in northern New Mexico, LANL
is a multidisciplinary research organization
that applies science and technology to
problems of national security ranging from defense to energy research. It is
operated by the University of California for the DOE.
For more information on the STTP and
other WIPP programs, the public can call the toll-free WIPP Information number,
1-800-336-WIPP (9477). 13DR0495
EARTHQUAKE NEAR WIPP
WIPP FACILITY UNAFFECTED BY EARTHQUAKE
IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS
CARLSBAD, N.M., April 17 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was unaffected
by the April 13 earthquake in southwest Texas, according to George Dials, DOE's
manager of the Carlsbad Area Office that oversees the WIPP.
A thorough facility inspection was
conducted earlier today by a Westinghouse Electric Corporation team consisting
of mine engineers, geologists, and maintenance and safety personnel. An on-site
official from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) also joined the
inspection team. No damage to either the project's hoisting systems and shafts,
or surface and underground facilities was found. Normal underground access
resumed by late morning.
"The WIPP's geologic formation
ensures that an earthquake of this size and distance poses no danger to the
facility," said Dials. "The repository is designed to withstand a
magnitude 5.5 shock directly under the site. This event, coupled with the
results of our subsequent thorough evaluation of all site systems, further
confirms the stability of the repository."
Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor for the DOE, while NMED provides project oversight.
The WIPP is a repository designed to
permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste remaining
from the production of nuclear weapons.
Project facilities consist of disposal
rooms mined in stable rock salt 2,150 feet below the earth's surface. Geologists
say the region has been stable for about 225 million years.
Because of its plastic-like qualities,
the National Academy of Sciences selected salt in the 1950s as one of the best
mediums to dispose of nuclear waste. The WIPP repository lies in the center of a
2,000-foot thick layer of rock salt.
Although site personnel on duty felt
the April 13 tremor, electronic seismic monitoring equipment on the surface and
in the underground did not generate an alarm -- which means the movement was not
significant. Project officials decided to take a conservative and safe approach
by suspending normal underground access and performing a detailed inspection of
hoists, shafts and facilities.
According to data published in the
project's 1980 Final Environmental Impact Statement, from 1961 to 1978
seismologists recorded 205 tremors within 180 miles of the WIPP. Before the
April 13 tremor, a similar event occurred in west Texas Jan. 2, 1992, also not
affecting surface or underground facilities at the WIPP. 15DR0495
CAST GETS WIPP
TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT
WIPP TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT AWARDED
TO COLORADO COMPANY
CARLSBAD, N.M., March 30 --
Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Waste Isolation Division has completed
contract renegotiations for transportation support, agreeing to a one-year
$342,617 pact with a Colorado trucking company.
Colorado Allstate Transportation
(CAST) will support transportation activities at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
(WIPP) and several locations nationwide. Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area
Office, which operates the WIPP.
The contract contains options for four
additional years, making the possible total value of the award $1.655 million
over five years. CAST is considered a small business under the Federal
Acquisition Regulations.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility designed for the safe, permanent disposal of transuranic radioactive
waste left from the production of nuclear weapons. Project facilities include
excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in an ancient stable salt
formation.
CAST was selected from three trucking
company finalists to transfer radioactive materials on and between DOE nuclear
waste generator sites. The company will also support state emergency response
training exercises, and the transportation of transuranic radioactive waste
shipping containers, including the Transportation Package Transporter, Model 2 (TRUPACT-II),
for required maintenance. Additionally, support is required for a variety of
educational activities and public outreach programs throughout the country.
One dedicated tractor and two drivers
will perform approximately 60 dispatches per year. Dispatches will be from the
WIPP site, located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, N.M. Subcontractor's equipment and
government-furnished trailers will be parked at the WIPP. CAST will provide
maintenance.
Westinghouse initially requested
proposals for the transportation contract in late August 1994. TAD Trucking of
Hobbs, N.M., was awarded the contract in late November 1994. The award, however,
was protested by the current transportation contract holder, Dawn Trucking,
Inc., of Farmington, N.M. This action resulted in contract cancellation with
TAD, requiring Westinghouse to resolicit "Best and Final" offers from
Dawn, TAD and CAST. Reevaluation of the proposals resulted in the selection of
CAST as the WIPP transportation provider.
The contract, which is effective
beginning April 1, calls for a four-month transition period with Dawn. 10WR0395
WIPP WASTE RECYCLING
WIPP'S RECYCLING PROGRAM HAS POSITIVE
EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
CARLSBAD, N.M., March 23 -- A
recycling program at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant (WIPP) is having a positive effect on the environment, while saving
taxpayers' money.
Since December 1993, WIPP employees
have recycled enough paper to save 872 trees, 154 cubic yards of landfill space,
360,000 gallons of water, and sufficient energy to heat 51 houses for six
months.
"We are very proud of our
employees' recycling accomplishments," said George Dials, manager of the
DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the WIPP program. "The DOE
and the federal government are setting an example and providing real leadership
that will help create jobs and protect the environment."
According to paper manufacturer, 3M
Corporation, for every ton of paper recycled, 17 trees, three cubic yards of
landfill space, 7,000 gallons of water, and enough energy to heat a house for
six months is saved. Through February, WIPP employees have recycled 51.21 tons
of paper.
The WIPP's Waste Minimization Program
features a variety of participants including the DOE, Westinghouse Electric
Corporation, Sandia National Laboratories, and several subcontractors. Program
participants receive personal paper recycling bins.
When the paper collection containers
are full, a local company recycles the materials and proceeds are donated to the
Carlsbad Area Retarded Citizens (CARC) Farm. Bins to transport the paper to the
CARC Farm are donated by the city of Carlsbad.
Aluminum recycling bins are placed
near vending machines. Over 700 pounds of aluminum cans have been recycled since
the program began. Proceeds are donated to various charities, including the Boy
Scouts of America organization.
In March 1994, WIPP employees started
recharging laser printer toner cartridges, saving taxpayers almost $18,000 in 11
months. Each toner cartridge is recharged three times. After that, cartridges
are donated to the Shriners, a nonprofit organization that recycles the units.
Proceeds go to the Shriner's Childrens Hospital.
"By using recycled materials and
reducing our own waste, the community and environment will benefit," said
Dials.
Other waste Minimization activities at
the WIPP include recycling of used oil and antifreeze, and the reclamation of
lead acid batteries. Employees have developed other methods to keep the
environment clean. Examples include the recycling of disposable gas cylinders,
reusing waste water to make cement, and using more environmentally sound
products to clean vehicles.
Additional tax dollars are saved by
puncturing and compacting aerosol cans. Before December 1994, aerosol cans made
up a large volume of the hazardous waste generated at the WIPP. Now, the new
volume reduction process saves $5 per can in disposal costs while safely
complying with all hazardous waste regulations.
Members of the WIPP's Waste
Minimization Committee voluntarily participate in community outreach programs
that educate businesses about the best way to begin a recycling program.
The Waste Minimization Program, in
part, was begun in response to President Bill Clinton's executive order
requiring the use of recycled paper and products by all government
installations. Statistics show that the federal government uses 300,000 tons of
printing and writing paper per year, or approximately 2 percent of the entire
U.S. market for paper. Paper accounts for 40 percent of all solid waste and 77
percent of government office waste.
Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor at the WIPP, a project of the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office
designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of defense-generated
radioactive waste in a stable salt formation 2,150 feet below the earth's
surface. Sandia serves as scientific advisor for the project. 14DR0395
NEW 1-800 NUMBER FOR
WIPP
TOLL FREE WIPP INFORMATION NUMBER
ESTABLISHED BY DOE
CARLSBAD, N.M., March 7 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office today announced the
establishment of a toll-free telephone number to access information on the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the National Transuranic Waste Program.
Stakeholders, educators, government
agencies and the public can call 1-800-336-WIPP (1-800-336-9477) to reach the
WIPP Information Center. Telephone lines are staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(MT), Monday through Friday. After 4:30 p.m. and on weekends, callers may leave
a recorded message, or listen to prerecorded updates on the status of WIPP
programs.
"This is another way to get
stakeholders involved and keep them informed about the WIPP and the National
Transuranic Program," said George Dials, manager of the Carlsbad Area
Office. "Callers should feel free to use this number any time."
Dials initiated the 1-800 information
line by placing the first telephone call to the Center, Wednesday, March 1.
Information available to callers
includes the following:
-
Announcements of upcoming meetings
and public involvement opportunities
-
Program information including fact
sheets and bibliographies on selected topics
-
Updates on program developments
and regulatory compliance
-
Answers to specific questions
about the WIPP and transuranic waste management
-
Information on the availability of
program documents.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility operated by the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office. Located in southeastern New
Mexico, it is designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of
transuranic radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons.
Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface
in ancient bedded salt rock.
The National Transuranic Waste
Program, another element of the Carlsbad Area Office, administers nationwide
generator/storage site programs for packaging, transporting, storing and
disposing of transuranic radioactive waste. 12DR0395
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
DOE, WESTINGHOUSE TRANSFER WIPP
TRAINING PROGRAM TO PRIVATE SECTOR
CARLSBAD, N.M., Feb. 1 -- Training
technology developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation
Pilot Plant (WIPP) will promote economic development in the private sector.
BDM Federal of Albuquerque this week
became the recipient of information contained in the WIPP's Management and
Supervisor Training (MAST) program. The technology transfer was initiated
through the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the WIPP program, and
its main contractor, Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Waste Isolation
Division.
"Technology transfer ensures that
taxpayers receive the greatest possible return on DOE-funded research and
development," said George Dials, manager of the Carlsbad Area Office.
"It is our hope that this technology transfer will generate business growth
in New Mexico."
Most technology developed by the
Department is available for transfer to the private sector upon request. BDM
contacted the DOE and Westinghouse, which then transferred the training program
technology.
The MAST Program, developed by
Westinghouse under a contract with the DOE, is used to train managers and
supervisors at the WIPP, and personnel at other DOE facilities. BDM gained 31
self-paced modules containing 1,000 pages of instructional material related to
leadership, communication and planning.
Ray Marchi, senior vice-president of
BDM Federal, said that his company plans to market the MAST program
commercially. "We are pleased to receive this program," he said.
"BDM's Workforce Group headquartered in Albuquerque will include these high
quality materials in its product line for commercial and government
clients."
"I believe this program is the
future of technology transfer initiatives," said Carl Cox, general manager
of the Waste Isolation Division. "In the past, technology transfer
primarily focused on equipment, but now it is information. We are glad to be
part of this exciting process."
Located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, the
WIPP is a research and development facility designed to demonstrate the safe,
permanent disposal of transuranic radioactive waste left from the production of
nuclear weapons. Project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the
earth's surface in a stable salt formation. 09DR0295
WIPP TRANSPORTATION
CONTRACT UNDER PROTEST
WIPP TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT
NEGOTIATIONS TO REOPEN
CARLSBAD, N. M., Jan. 30 --
Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Waste Isolation Division will reopen
contract negotiations with three trucking company finalists seeking to transport
radioactive waste to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant (WIPP).
Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor for the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office. The original request
for transportation services was issued in Aug. 1994. Under a prime contract with
the DOE, Westinghouse asked for transportation support at the WIPP and 10
locations nationwide.
The transportation subcontract will
require transfer of radioactive materials on and between DOE waste generator
sites, state emergency response training exercises, transport of transuranic
shipping containers, including the TRUPACT-II, for required maintenance, and a
variety of educational activities and public outreach programs.
In Nov. 1994, TAD Trucking Company of
Hobbs was awarded an initial one-year contract that had a potential value of
$1.7 million over a five-year option period. The previous supplier of
transportation services, Farmington-based Dawn Enterprises Inc., filed a protest
of the TAD award in Dec. 1994 with the General Accounting Office in Washington,
D.C.
Based upon review and evaluation of
the protest, reopened negotiations between Westinghouse and the three finalists
participating in the best and final award process will address several elements
of the transportation contract including information related to cost.
Negotiations To Reopen
"Each finalist will be asked to
submit information that is necessary for Westinghouse to reevaluate the
bids," said Joe Epstein, deputy general manager of the Waste Isolation
Division. "This allows those companies involved an opportunity to refine
their bids and assure taxpayers a cost-effective service."
Westinghouse will complete a second
best and final evaluation by April 1995.
The WIPP is a research and development
facility designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of transuranic
radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons. Project
facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in a
stable salt formation. 06WR0195
CAO 1996 BUDGET
REDUCTION IN 1996 BUDGET NOT EXPECTED
TO AFFECT WIPP'S OPENING
CARLSBAD, N.M., Jan.27 -- The U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office announced today that a
proposed 1 percent cut in its fiscal year 1996 budget is not expected to affect
the opening of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in June 1998.
Programmatic reductions were ordered
by the Presidential Office of Management and Budget. George Dials, manager of
the Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the WIPP and National Transuranic
Program Office budgets, said the reduction will save taxpayers about $1.6
million in fiscal year 1996.
Congress approved a $174.3 million
budget to operate the WIPP and National Transuranic Program Office programs in
fiscal year 1995. The Carlsbad Area Office is requesting $172.7 million as part
of the President's Fiscal Year 1996 budget proposal. Proposed funding for the
WIPP in fiscal year 1996 is $150.1 million, compared to $22.6 million for the
National Transuranic Program Office.
"We will be able to meet key
milestones, including the December 1996 submittal of the final compliance
application to the Environmental Protection Agency," said Dials. "The
program reductions are not unexpected. As throughout the DOE complex, we are
working hard to do more with less funding."
No layoffs are expected at the DOE
research and development facility, managed and operated by Westinghouse Electric
Corporation's Waste Isolation Division. The Carlsbad Area Office is determining
what areas will be affected by the cost-saving measure.
The WIPP is a proposed repository for
defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste. Located 26 miles east of
Carlsbad, project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the
earth's surface in a stable salt formation. The National Transuranic Program
Office coordinates all activities related to the characterization, storage,
transportation and disposal of transuranic radioactive waste. 08DR0195
GRAHAM VISITS WIPP
U.S. BUREAU OF MINES DIRECTOR REVISITS
THE WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M., Jan. 12 -- Rhea
Graham, U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) director, received a homecoming of sorts
today, revisiting the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot
Plant (WIPP) for an update on mining technology.
"It's a pleasure to be back in
New Mexico, " said Graham, who was accompanied on her tour of the WIPP by
DOE Carlsbad Area Office Manager George Dials. "This facility is a showcase
of mining technology and one of the safest in the nation," said Graham.
"Westinghouse and the DOE should be commended for the job they do
here."
The DOE and USBM share information
through an interagency agreement. Graham returned to Carlsbad and the WIPP to
receive an update on work that is being performed under the agreement.
During her visit, Graham viewed a
state-of-the-art ground control monitoring system that allows personnel to
remotely monitor "real time" conditions in the WIPP underground.
"Real time" refers to the actual time during which something takes
place. Technology developed from the collection of this data could in turn be
transferred to other mines nationwide. The USBM also performs an annual
evaluation of the WIPP's surface and underground facilities.
The WIPP is a proposed repository for
defense-generated nuclear waste. Located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project
facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below the earth's surface in a
stable salt formation.
Graham, who was sworn in Oct. 17,
1994, by President Clinton as the 19th director of the USBM, was associated with
the WIPP in 1993 as a senior scientist with Science Applications International
Corporation. She also served as director of the Mining and Minerals Division of
the state of New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department
(1991-1993).
Graham's knowledge is not limited to
the mining environment at the WIPP. Before accepting her current position, she
prepared environmental compliance audits for hazardous and mixed radioactive
waste facilities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley
Laboratory, and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. She has also worked in
the public sector as a research scientist for the U.S. Agriculture Department,
and as a committee member researching ground failure hazards for the National
Academy of Sciences.
Dials said Graham's visit is important
to the DOE in its quest to open the WIPP as a nuclear waste repository by 1998.
"We are very proud of the state-of-the-art mining technology and our safety
record here," he said. "It's nice to see an official of Ms. Graham's
stature take time out of her busy schedule to recognize the excellence of
facility operations and safety at the WIPP."
Graham pointed to Westinghouse
Electric Corporation Waste Isolation Division's eighth consecutive mine
"Operator of the Year" award as a clear indication of safe facility
operation. This outcome is supported by the research and development role of the
USBM and its effort to promote mine safety and protect the environment. The
award, announced Jan. 10 by the State Inspector of Mines, comes in the
underground operation category for large nonproducing mines.
Westinghouse is the management and
operating contractor for the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the
WIPP operation.
"Our employees and management
realize the importance of safety," said Carl Cox, WID general manager.
"It is our goal to maintain and improve safety programs that are already in
place." 07DR195
WIPP SAFE MINE
AWARD
WESTINGHOUSE NAMED MINE 'OPERATOR OF
THE YEAR'
CARLSBAD, N. M., Jan. 10 --
Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Waste Isolation Division (WID) has again
been selected by the New Mexico Mining Association and the N.M. State Inspector
of Mines "Operator of the Year" for its safe operation of the U.S.
Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Presented to Westinghouse for the
eighth consecutive year, the award came in the underground operation category
for large nonproducing mines. "Operator of the Year" is awarded to
producing and nonproducing mines with the lowest injury rates. The
Pittsburgh-based company is the management and operating contractor for the
DOE's Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the WIPP operation.
"It's a pleasure for me to
participate in the recognition of Westinghouse's outstanding safety at and
operation of the WIPP, " said George Dials, manager of the Carlsbad Area
Office.
Dials explained that the continued
safe operation of the facility is important to the Department in its preparation
to open the WIPP as a nuclear waste repository in 1998.
"Safety is the number one
priority in everything we do," said Carl Cox, WID general manager. "We
are proud of our safety record and will continue to maintain safety programs as
our top priority."
The "Operator of the Year"
honor continues a string of safety awards Westinghouse has received including,
most recently, selection as the first government contractor to receive
"Star" status under the Department's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
The VPP is a national program
established by the DOE in 1993 to recognize superior performance in the field of
safety and health by contractor management and their employees. "Star"
status is the highest level that can be achieved under VPP guidelines. The
WIPP's "Blue Team" also won the 1994 National Mine Rescue
Championship.
"The DOE and Westinghouse
continue to operate the WIPP as the safest mine in the state," said State
Mining Inspector Desi Apodaca, who visited the WIPP today. "It is my
pleasure to present this award to the WIPP for the eighth straight year."
The WIPP is a research and development
facility designed to demonstrate the safe, permanent disposal of transuranic
radioactive waste left from the production of nuclear weapons. Located 26 miles
east of Carlsbad, project facilities include excavated rooms 2,150 feet below
the earth's surface in ancient bedded salt rock. 06DR195
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