Office of Legacy Management

The Environmental Protection Agency held an in-person and virtual ceremony to honor LM’s Tuba City site with the 2024 Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Awards on Sept. 19. The Tuba City site was recognized in the Superfund Non-National Priorities List category for its Photovoltaic System. https://bit.ly/4h9qQla Photo: Stephen Etsitty, executive director of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, addresses attendees at the ceremony Sept. 19 in Tuba City, Arizona.

The Chupadera Mesa, New Mexico, Site is located approximately 28 miles northeast of the Trinity atomic bomb test site at the White Sands Missile Range. Windblown fallout from the Trinity test drifted northeast over the White Sands Missile Range, Chupadera Mesa, and other ranching areas. Based on extensive studies, DOE determined that residual radioactive contamination was not a risk to human health and the environment, so no remedial action was needed at the site. https://bit.ly/3YCvlf8

LM and LM’s Support Partner (LMSP) presented to the Hopi Tribal Council regarding the Tuba City Disposal Site in Arizona Tuesday, Sept. 18. LM Site Manager William Frazier, LM Director of Site Operations Jay Glascock, LMSP Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) Subtask Manager David Miller, and LMSP UMTRCA Site Lead Zack Schuler gave updates about the site’s history, Tribal partnerships and outreach, recent site activities, and the path forward for the evaporation pond. Photo 1: LM Site Manager William Frazier speaks about upcoming projects for the Tuba City Disposal Site. Photo 2: UMTRCA Subtask Manager David Miller discusses the history of the disposal site in Tuba City, Arizona.

The Fernald Preserve near Hamilton, Ohio, welcomed community members to its 20th Annual Community Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Brian Zimmerman, LM Fernald Preserve site manager, welcomed 23 guests and provided information on the 2023 Site Environmental Report. Site staff presented updates on environmental monitoring activities, groundwater remediation, the on-site disposal cell, ecological restoration, and public engagement services and amenities. Participants engaged in open and transparent dialogue about on-site activities and expressed support for the site’s use as a community asset. LM values its relationships with communities at its 103 sites and welcomes feedback and input. For more information about Fernald Preserve, call (513) 648-3330 or email [email protected]. Photo 1: Brian Zimmerman, LM Fernald Preserve site manager welcomes attendees at Fernald Preserve’s 20th Annual Community Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Photo 2: Community members from surrounding municipalities listen to information about Fernald Preserve. Photo 3: LMSP Senior Scientist Ken Broberg shares information about the 2023 Site Environmental Report. #LM #Fernald

Guided Exhibit Tour Sundays, Oct. 13 and 27, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Enjoy a guided tour of the Visitors Center exhibit hall. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or call (513) 648-3330. Fernald Preserve Visitors Center 7400 Willey Road, Hamilton, OH 45013 https://bit.ly/4b7zgGD

Attention all science educators! Join us at the National Science Teaching Association 2024 National Conference in New Orleans! We're jazzed to exhibit at #NSTAfall24 Nov. 6-9, where we'll showcase our latest innovations in science, technology, engineering, and math education. Visit us at booth 675 to explore our interactive STEM with LM: https://bit.ly/3kHIrb5 programming that inspires the next generation of scientists. Come watch hands-on activity demonstrations and see our new STEM-in-the box activity kits. Can’t wait to see you there! #NSTA #ScienceEducation

Fall Migration Bird Banding Saturday, Oct. 12, 7:30 to 11 a.m. Come learn which species are moving through the preserve on their southbound journey with a federally licensed bander. Find out how birds are caught, banded, aged, and sexed and how this information aids bird conservation throughout the country! This program will be presented at Lodge Pond, and all are welcome to stop by briefly or stick around for the full length. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or call (513) 648-3330. Fernald Preserve Visitors Center 7400 Willey Road, Hamilton, OH 45013 https://bit.ly/4b7zgGD

LM’s Defense-Related Uranium Mines (DRUM) Technical Lead William Burns and LM Physical Scientist Paige Schwarz presented at the National Association of Abandoned Mine Lands Program’s annual fall conference Sept. 22-25 in Canaan Valley, West Virginia. The conference serves as a forum to address current issues, discuss common challenges, and share new technologies. Burns presented a lessons-learned overview of the DRUM program, while Schwarz shared DRUM’s successes in working with tribal partners. Photo 1: Defense-Related Uranium Mines Technical Lead William Burns. Photo 2: LM Physical Scientist Paige Schwarz.

In December 2009, LM opened the L M Business Center (LMBC) in Morgantown, West Virginia, which is dedicated to storing, managing, and processing temporary Department of Energy records from closed Cold War nuclear sites. LM’s ongoing stewardship involves maintaining a records inventory, setting policies for preserving or destroying records according to federal guidance. The records document the legacy of each LM site, covering significant events such as site inception, production runs, site shutdown, remediation, and transition. Records are also maintained for the activities associated with each site under LM’s responsibility (i.e., beneficial reuse and long-term monitoring). #LearntheLegacy

Join us for an after-hours hike at 6 p.m. Oct. 17, starting at the back of the parking lot at Weldon Spring Site in St. Charles, Missouri. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes as we will take a scenic 0.25-mile walk on paved paths, mulch, gravel, and a stairway to get to the top of the disposal cell. The Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri will have telescopes ready for a unique double feature —the last moments of sunset and the beginning full moonrise. Get the chance to possibly view the Comet Tsuchinshan. Bring your own binoculars for the best viewing of the comet. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience! Coats and flashlights are recommended. The hike will be canceled in the event of inclement weather. For questions, please call 636-300-2601 or email [email protected] The Weldon Spring Site is located at 7295 South Highway 94, St. Charles, Missouri. Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center | Department of Energy: https://bit.ly/3gVF4eC. #DOE #LegacyManagement #WeldonSpringSite