Recapping the National Cleanup Workshop 2022

Day Two of the National Cleanup Workshop 2022 came to a close today. Over the course of the conference, participants heard remarks from Department of Energy (DOE) and Congressional leadership, learned from informative panel sessions, and had productive discussions and meetings.

Read our summary of Day One of the Workshop here.

Cleanup enables a bright economic future. Community leaders highlighted various projects occurring on former federal land around sites across the country, and noted that support for cleanup is critical to attracting industry and economic opportunities in local communities. The panel featured several ECA members: Rick McLeod (SRSCRO), Diahann Howard (Port of Benton), Randall Ryti (Los Alamos County), and Jennifer Chandler (Village of Piketon).

Some communities, such as those surrounding Hanford, are looking to the future of their sites as an exciting transition "from cleanup to clean energy," while others, such as Los Alamos, are navigating the land transfer process to facilitate economic development.

The EM program is strong. Leaders from the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) highlighted the strength of the program during remarks this morning. 

"The state of EM is strong," Candice Robertson, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for EM said. "We've made a lot of accomplishments, and are on the cusp of many more."

Dae Chung, Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Corporate Services at EM also noted that "from a business standpoint, we are as strong as ever."

The EM program is not without challenges, however. Several panelists noted that "the really tough stuff" still remains to be tackled in cleanup of the complex. 

Workforce challenges impact all sites. The continued need to discuss and find solutions to the critical issue of workforce emerged as a key theme over the course of the Cleanup Workshop. DOE Field Office Managers touched on the current vacancies in their authorized workforce, for example, but also highlighted efforts to recruit and promote women and minority groups within the EM program.

Several panelists noted that among EM's almost 1,200 federal employees, only 15 are under the age of 30. This fact was used to drive the point that education and recruitment efforts must begin early in order to develop the future of the EM workforce. This information was also used to point out the loyalty of the current workforce and their commitment to the EM mission.

Thank you to all the sponsors, speakers, and attendees that made this such a successful Cleanup Workshop. We look forward to our continued partnership with you all!