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Environmental Monitoring and Compliance Program (EMC)

This program is a non-regulatory independent environmental monitoring and oversight program that supplements activities conducted under applicable environmental laws and regulations. This program provides for the State’s oversight evaluation of DOE’s environmental monitoring and surveillance programs. This evaluation includes, but is not limited to, the following activities or systems: monitoring protocol,sampling methodology, locations, frequency, procedures and parameters, quality assurance and quality control methodology, sampling plans and implementation, data collection, reporting methods.

The EMC program also provides independent and confirmatory monitoring. Independent monitoring assesses pathways for contaminant migration not routinely monitored by the DOE. This program conducts regular sampling of water, soil, sediment and biological media.

This assessment and independent monitoring are conducted to determine the adequacy of information on releases and impacts on public health and the environment related to past and present ORR actions.

Program Manager - Jim Harless
Assistant Manager - D. F. Gilmore
Program areas:

Sediment/Soil
Surface Water
Groundwater
Biological, Fish and Wildlife
Water Supply/Safe Dams

Environmental Restoration Program (ER)

ER staff oversee environmental restoration programs on the ORR and provide recommendations to the DOE and government agencies authorized to regulate these activities. This activity includes a considerable amount of document review, field work, and includes the following duties:

- Representing the Division during the development, scheduling, and implementation of milestones under the Federal Facilities Agreement;

- Coordinating corrective actions under CERCLA and RCRA;

- Reviewing and commenting on all DOE documents related to CERCLA; and

- Participating in Natural Resource Damage Assessment efforts.

In 1992, the EPA, the State, and DOE signed the Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) providing for the environmental restoration of the Oak Ridge Reservation. The FFA establishes a procedure for cleanup on the reservation, from identifying problems to scheduling, implementing, and monitoring appropriate responses. Under the FFA contaminated areas are combined into groups known as operable units. For each operable unit, the three agencies agree on a schedule of cleanup milestones; EPA and the State have authority to penalize DOE if these milestones are not met. Because the National Environmental Policy Act and CERCLA require that most proposed actions be subjected to a formal public comment period, cleanup plans are developed in the light of public scrutiny. Public participation is a substantial tool in helping the agencies improve the plans and avoid future pitfalls.

Program Manager - Roger B. Petrie
Assistant Manager - R.C. Young
Program areas:

ORNL (X-10)
Y-12
ETTP (K-25)

Waste Management Program (WM)

The DOE Oversight Division’s Waste Management Program is, by design, multimedia in its area of responsibility. WM program staff oversee DOE activities on the ORR related to the current generation and management of solid, liquid and airborne wastestreams. Activities related to these hazardous, radioactive and mixed wastestreams are overseen through subprogram areas involving solid/hazardous waste, air/water pollution control and engineering support.

In addition, the WM program leads the Division’s efforts in the following areas:

  • Reindustrialization
  • Decontamination and Decommissioning facilities for reuse
  • Coordination of technology development efforts

Program Manager Kristof Czartoryski
Assistant Manager Ashwin Brahmbhatt
Assistant Manager Robert Benfield

Radiological Monitoring and Oversight Program (RMO)

The Radiological Monitoring and Oversight Program is responsible for the oversight of all radiological activities related to the environment and public health and safety on and around the Oak Ridge Reservation. The oversight activities include in-depth reviews of Department of Energy radiological programs, and actual in-the-field oversight of radiological operations. The Division, through RMO, conducts independent monitoring and sampling programs. These include collecting samples of air, soils, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and other environmental media, as well as monitoring for ambient radiation levels at selected sites. In addition, RMO has on-going programs that inspect and rate facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation with regard to potential radiological contamination. Other RMO programs seek to define the limits of past environmental damage.

The RMO program also coordinates the Division’s emergency response teams. The Division participates, in conjunction with TEMA East, in emergency response activities involving the Oak Ridge Reservation. This includes practice exercises of possible emergency scenarios. In this way, the Division can assess its preparedness for handling actual emergency situations.

Manager - C. R. Yard
Assistant Manager - R.D. Cator
Program areas:

Environmental Restoration/ Soil
Site Evaluation
Emergency Response
Air Monitoring
Water Monitoring

Special Projects Section

 This Section is responsible for division-wide environmental management activities. The section coordinates with each program in the Division on activities of common concerns.

The Section has the responsibility for developing, articulating and coordinating policies of state-wide implications with respect to U.S Department of Energy activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation with the Governor’s and the Department’s policy offices.

Areas of responsibility include but not limited to activities and issues relating to:

  • The Department of Energy’s Actions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
  • TDEC’s Environmental Justice Program
  • Then Oak Ridge Health Study Initiatives and Forum

Section Manager: Chudi U. Nwangwa