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May 14-16, 2019
Agenda and Presentations
The State and Tribal Government Working Group (STGWG) held its spring meeting in Knoxville, Tenn. on May 14-16, 2019. The meeting included a tour and visit to the Oak Ridge Reservation, including cleanup areas, the national laboratory and Y-12. STGWG states and tribes were joined by officials from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) headquarters and field offices. STGWG appreciates the participation by the Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Legacy Management (LM) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
STGWG continues to focus on the three priorities of long-term stewardship (LTS), natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR), and tribal issues. There was session time for policy-level dialogue with DOE officials and focused conversations on LTS. These conversations built upon STGWG’s 2017 report Closure for the Seventh Generation and decades of cleanup activities and relationship building.
Tuesday, May 14
Oak Ridge Reservation/Site Tour Briefing
Attendees toured the Oak Ridge Reservation, including the historic Graphite Reactor, Y-12, cleanup successes, and next steps for cleanup and economic reuse.
- Jay Mullis, manager, DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM)
- David Adler, director, Quality and Mission Support Division, DOE-OREM
Wednesday, May 15
STGWG Session with DOE Senior Officials—Updates and Priorities
- Mark Gilbertson, principal deputy assistant Secretary for EM
Film Presentation of "A Quiet Warrior" and Recognition of Atwai Kiaux, Dr. Russell Jim
Remarks by Yakama Nation, STGWG and U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management EM).
Making Progress and Institutionalizing Approaches on Long-Term Stewardship (LTS) and STGWG’s Closure for the Seventh Generation
- Mark Gilbertson, principal deputy assistant secretary for EM
- Peter O’Konksi, deputy director, LM
- Ted Wyka Jr., principal deputy assistant administrator, Safety, Infrastructure and Operations, NNSA | Presentation
LTS Site Conversations—Brainstorming and Setting the Framework for Future Meetings
DOE, states and tribes participated in site conversations for five cleanup sites (Idaho National Laboratory, Hanford, Los Alamos, Nevada National Security Site and Oak Ridge) to plan for future meetings on LTS.
End-State Contracting—Perspectives from DOE Headquarters, Hanford and other Sites
This session included a discussion of how the approach of end-state contracting can advance cleanup, how DOE headquarters will work with field offices on the approach, how states and tribes will be involved, and next steps for DOE, states and tribes.
- Aaron Deckard, acquisition integration lead, DOE-EM Consolidated Business Center | Presentation
- Joe Franco, deputy manager, Richland Operations
Thursday, May 16
Lessons Learned and Insights from Rocky Flats Site
- Lindsay Masters, environmental protection specialist, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment | Presentation
Long-Term Stewardship: Site-Specific Report Outs and Next Steps
Assessing and Restoring Natural Resource Damages: Presentation and Discussion with U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Bill Brighton, DOJ Environmental Enforcement Section
- Mark Nitczynksi, DOJ Environmental Defense Section
Next Steps and Closing Comments
- Mindy Bridges, STGWG coordinator; senior policy specialist, NCSL
- Brandt Petrasek, DOE-STGWG lead; director of EM Tribal Affairs
- Mark Gilbertson, principal deputy assistant secretary for EM
- Debbie Duren, STGWG state co-convener, Tennessee
STGWG Closing Business Sessions– Next Steps and Further Deep Dive into Priority Issues
Presentation and Discussion on STEM Initiatives and Workforce Development
- Melinda Higgins, Nuclear Energy Tribal STEM Advisor | Presentation
Identification of other Priorities and Suggested Next Steps
Additional Resources