text:
24/7 Monitoring Without a Phone Line.How it works
ADT has an alarm monitoring solution for your home security system even if you don't have a landline. With CellGuard®, your home security system in Eatonton connects to an ADT customer monitoring center with wireless technology. You get all the monitoring, with none of the cables.See Packages
ADT Pulse℠
Arm and disarm from anywhere.How it works
The #1 provider of home security system monitoring in America is now giving you the ability to arm/disarm your home alarm system no matter where you're at. With ADT Pulse℠ you can even set up text and email alerts to keep you informed about what's going on at home. You set up your system so you only get the alerts you want. You will even get monitored water/flood sensors, which alert you about any water problems in your home.See Packages
2-Way Voice
Talk directly to ADT dispatchers
through your keypad.
With 2-Way Voice you can use your home alarm system in Eatonton to connect directly with an ADT monitoring specialist. The control panel acts as intercom. When an alarm is triggered, the dispatcher can hear what is going on in your home. The microphone is effective up to 75 feet from your alarm system.See Packages
You deserve the best help protecting your home and family. ADT is the number one security provider in the country. ADT has over 140 years of experience helping protect over 6 million customers, so you know you have experience on your side.
ADT also has you covered around-the-clock. When it comes to your home, you wil always have help keeping it secure, thanks to ADT's 4 customer monitoring centers. These centers are all interconnected, so someone is available to help watch out for your home, no matter what.
If you prefer superior customer service, fast response times and alarm monitoring service that gives you added peace of mind, then choose ADT in Eatonton. While other security providers might have one or two monitoring centers, ADT monitoring has four interconnected centers, so your home security system will always be monitored, even if there?s a widespread natural disaster, such as an earthquake. ADT provides 24/7 security system monitoring service.
―Valued at $850!Learn More
Don't wait another day to start helping to protect your home in Eatonton, GA with a home alarm system. Call today for professional alarm monitoring and get a FREE* home security system valued at $850, which is the equivalent of 22 months of basic service.See Packages
*With $99.00 customer installation charge and purchase of alarm monitoring services. See important terms and conditions to this offer below.
to help protect your home.Learn More
If you can get 6 free sensors, why would you settle on only 3 from somehere else? When you call Protect Your Home, an authorized ADT Dealer, you will get 6 FREE+ door or window sensors.See Packages
Same Day
You shouldn't have to wait around to get your home security system installed in Eatonton. When you call today to get ADT alarm system monitoring in your Eatonton home, an installation tech can often be to your home within 24-hours^! Most other security companies cannot provide same-day service.See Packages
*With $99.00 Customer Installation Charge and Purchase of Alarm Monitoring Services.
See Important Terms & Conditions to This Offer Below.
†Not available in all areas
If you're in Eatonton looking for a burglar alarm and ADT alarm monitoring, you should know a thing or two about property crimes and burglary. According to the Uniform Crime Report, published by the FBI, property crimes decreased in 2011, down 0.5%. That means there was a reported 9,063,173 reported property crimes across the nation that year. What is more, burglaries actually increased 0.9% in 2011. So helping protect your home, with a monitored home alarm system is as important as ever.
Property Crime-9,063,173 occurrences
Larceny Theft-6,159,795 occurrences
Burglary-21,888,005 occurrences
Motor Vehicle Theft-715,373 occurrences
Without a security system...
1 in
With a security system...
1 in
Every 14.4 seconds, a home gets broken into somewhere in America. According to data reported by the FBI, your chances of experiencing a break-in this year are about 1 in 143. There's one simple thing you can do to make your chances closer to 1 in 429. Get an ADT monitored security system in Eatonton. Studies have shown that homes with alarm systems are 3 times less likely3 to experience a break-in.
A lot of money is lost each year because of crime. The FBI reported that Americans lost over 15.6 billion due to property crimes across the country in 2011 and $4.8 billion of that was from home invasion crimes. People in Eatonton stand to lose about $2,200 in the event of a burglary. Installing an ADT monitored home security system in your Eatonton home can help prevent this from happening to you and save you money in the long run.
Yearly average cost of burglaries
for Eatonton5:
That's enough to buy you:
Loaves of bread
Months of Cable TV
You may save 20%
on your
Home owner's
Insurance companies are aware that security monitoring can help you from having your home get broken into. You'll receive a certificate to take to your insurance provider stating that you have an ADT monitored security system. With this, Eatonton residents may be eligible for up to a 20% discount on your homeowners insurance.See Packages
Theft Protection
(certain restrictions apply)
You're doing what you can to help protect your home in Eatonton and an ADT monitored home security system will do the same. With a monitored security system, your home is 3 times less likely3 to be targeted by a burglar. On the off chance you do fall victim to a burglary while your home is being monitored, ADT may pay up to $500 of your insurance deductible.See Packages
Service GuaranteeLearn More
(certain restrictions apply)
When people in Eatonton have ADT monitoring in their home, you also have help keeping your home safe and a satisfaction guarantee. ADT will do everything to resolve any problems you experience, but if it isn't possible, ADT may give you a full refund of your installation charges and monitoring fees.See Packages
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text:
This week is all about livening up your science, engineering and math teaching. One way is by taking part in a free math literacy webinar, another is learning how to teach NGSS engineering design...
Mon., January 13, 2014 2:50pm
I was bummed that Mayim Bialik didn't win the best supporting actress EMMY this weekend. I thought it would have been really cool for Mayim to win because she doesn't just play a nerdy neuro...
Wed., September 26, 2012 9:15am
All volunteers receive training, free parking and a catered meal provided by Carole Parks Catering.Get More Info »

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Chris Columbus
152 mins, USA, 2001, 35mm
Ten year old Harry Potter, orphaned as an infant and raised by his horrible aunt and uncle, believes himself to be an ordinary boy, only to find out on his eleventh birthday that he is anything but ordinary.
Harry is a wizard and has been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he will spend the next seven years following in his parents' footsteps. Spells, charms, potions, Quidditch - every young wizard's favourite sport - dragons, trolls, three-headed dogs and discovering the truth behind his parents' demise means never-ending adventures for Harry and his friends, Hermione and Ron.
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint make their debuts as Harry, Hermoine and Ron. Cast also includes Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane and John Cleese.


text:
Memory Management Approach for Swapless Embedded Systems
The Linux kernel Out of Memory (OOM) killer is not usually invoked on desktop and server computers, because those environments contain sufficient resident memory and swap space, making the OOM condition a rare event. However, swapless embedded systems typically have little main memory and no swap space. In such systems, there is usually no need to allocate a big memory space; nevertheless, even relatively small allocations may eventually trigger the OOM killer.
Experiments with end-user desktop applications show that when a system has low memory—that is, it is about to reach the OOM condition—applications could become nonresponsive due to system slowness. System performance is affected when physical memory is about to reach the OOM condition or is fully occupied. System slowness should be prevented as such behaviour brings discomfort to end users.
Furthermore, the process selection algorithm used by the kernel-based OOM killer was designed for desktop and server computer needs. Thus, it may not work properly on swapless embedded systems, because at any moment it can kill applications that a user may be interacting with.
In this article, we present an approach that employs two memory management mechanisms for swapless embedded systems. The first is applied to prevent system slowness and OOM killer activation, by refusing memory allocations based on a predefined memory consumption threshold. Such a threshold should be determined and calibrated carefully in order to optimize memory usage while avoiding large memory consumption that may lead to system delay and invocation of the OOM killer. We call it the Memory Allocation Threshold (MAT).
The second mechanism employs an additional threshold value known as the Signal Threshold (ST). When this threshold is reached, the kernel sends a low memory signal (LMS), which should be caught by user space, triggering memory release before crossing the MAT. Both thresholds are implemented by a kernel module, the Low Memory Watermark (LMW) module. We offer some experimental results that point out situations when our approach can prove useful in optimizing memory consumption for a class of embedded systems.
System performance is degraded when the memory requirements of active applications exceed the physical memory available on a system. Under such conditions, the perceived system response can be significantly slow. On swapless devices, application memory needs can drive the system to such conditions often, because system internal main memory is low and the chance of applications occupying the whole physical memory is high.
Memory resources should be managed differently on such devices to avoid slow system responsiveness. The memory allocation failure mechanism can be applied to prevent slowness. Preventing system slowness makes OOM killer invocation rare. Thus, such a mechanism also can reduce the chances of triggering the OOM killer, whose process selection algorithm may choose an unexpected application to be killed on devices with low memory and no swap space.
Memory allocation failure means refusing memory allocations requested by applications. It is carried out according to a MAT value that is set based on experimentation with various use cases of end-user applications. MAT should be set sufficiently high to allow applications to allocate necessary memory without affecting overall system performance, but its value should be well defined to guarantee memory allocation failure when necessary to prevent extreme memory consumption.
Before memory allocation failure occurs, however, process termination can be performed to release allocated memory. It can be triggered by transmitting the LMS from kernel space to user space to notify applications to free up memory. LMS is dispatched according to ST value. ST should be smaller than MAT, as shown in Figure 1, because the LMS should occur well before memory allocation failure.
If the LMS dispatch is successful and memory is released by receiving the signal, a possible memory allocation failure will be prevented. A useful scenario could involve running some window-based applications, A, B and C, consuming chunks of memory, while their window frames can superimpose one another (assuming the use of a simple window manager environment such as Matchbox). Assuming that application A is the one the user is interacting with at the moment MAT is reached, instead of denying memory allocation to A, it would be preferable to attempt to free up memory allocated by applications B and C, which are not visible to the user. Doing this would allow the user to continue working with application A.
However, memory allocation failure could be unavoidable for some application use cases. For instance, such a case could involve a single window-based application, consuming memory at a constant rate, that the user is interacting with. Releasing memory from other applications would not be as desirable in this situation, because there may be no other window-based applications from which memory could be released. Therefore, a more desirable solution would be to fail memory allocation requested by the guilty application, selecting it as a candidate for termination.
In our proposal, the kernel should provide two mechanisms to deal with management of memory in extreme cases of low memory levels:
Failure of brk(), mmap() and fork() system calls: deny memory allocation requests to prevent system slowness and kernel OOM killer invocation according to a previously calibrated MAT level.
Low memory signal: Kernel Event Layer signal sent by the kernel to a user-space process terminator, which should employ a process selection algorithm that works based on a specified ST.
Using these mechanisms, it would be possible to identify when memory can be released or when to deny further allocations. Denying memory allocations should happen only when memory release attempts cannot be successful.
Linux has become a key foundation for supporting today's rapidly growing IT environments. Linux is being used to deploy business applications and databases, trading on its reputation as a low-cost operating environment. For many IT organizations, Linux is a mainstay for deploying Web servers and has evolved from handling basic file, print, and utility workloads to running mission-critical applications and databases, physically, virtually, and in the cloud. As Linux grows in importance in terms of value to the business, managing Linux environments to high standards of service quality — availability, security, and performance — becomes an essential requirement for business success.
Sponsored by Red Hat
If you already use virtualized infrastructure, you are well on your way to leveraging the power of the cloud. Virtualization offers the promise of limitless resources, but how do you manage that scalability when your DevOps team doesn't scale? In today's hypercompetitive markets, fast results can make a difference between leading the pack vs. obsolescence. Organizations need more benefits from cloud computing than just raw resources. They need agility, flexibility, convenience, ROI, and control.
Stackato private Platform-as-a-Service technology from ActiveState extends your private cloud infrastructure by creating a private PaaS to provide on-demand availability, flexibility, control, and ultimately, faster time-to-market for your enterprise.
Sponsored by ActiveState
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text:
Could is an auxiliary verb, a modal auxiliary verb. We use could to:
Structure of Could
subject + could + main verb
The main verb is always the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to").
Notice that:
The main verb is always the bare infinitive. We cannot say:
Use of Could
could: Past Possibility or Ability
We use could to talk about what was possible in the past, what we were able or free to do:
We use could (positive) and couldn't (negative) for general ability in the past. But when we talk about one special occasion in the past, we use be able to (positive) and couldn't (negative). Look at these examples:
could: Requests
We often use could in a question to ask somebody to do something. The use of could in this way is fairly polite (formal):


text:
I am using the mobile version of pixlr express on mobile and I came from using pixlr-o-matic. But I noticed there is no option in pixlr express to save an edited foto in original resolution, but only lower (large). In pixlr-o-matic I was able to save in original resolution. Is this being fixed in an update or is there another way to save in original resolution?
Thanks in advance
Help get this topic noticed by sharing it on Twitter, Facebook, or email.
Resolution pixlr express mobile
Resolution pixlr express mobile
I just noticed that when I just open a foto and save it, it stays at the original resolution. However, if I put a filter over it, it shoves down the amount of pixels.. This was not the case with pixlr-o-matic. Will this be fixed or is there something to work around this?
EMPLOYEE0Neil Wan (Official Rep) April 18, 2013 07:29Hi Tim,
Pixlr-o-matic may also shove down the pixel number depending on the filter you use. When applying the filter in Express, did you set the opacity of the filter? Setting the opacity will take additional memory so the save size may be smaller.
If you did not change the filter opacity and the image still had different save options on Express and OMatic, could you share with us your original image and the filter name so that we can dig into?
Hi Neil,
I left the filter opacity at 100. The filter I am talking about is one from "Vintage", namely Doris. But others as well. If I apply this filter in pixlr-o-matic the file size stays original but if I use the same filter in pixlr express it turns down the file size. With the filter "Anne" from "default" I don't have this problem.
EMPLOYEE0Neil Wan (Official Rep) April 19, 2013 10:46Hi Tim,
We confirmed there is a bug here and we will try to fix it in the future.


text:
CAREY — The Wyandot County Farm Bureau will hold its annual meeting Aug. 20 at the Shrine Cafeteria, 315 Clay St., Carey.
A reception will begin at 6 p.m. for a social hour. Special Occasions Catering will provide a meal at 6:30 p.m.
Following dinner, a brief business meeting, voting, recognitions and awards will take place. Active members will vote on proposed resolutions, code changes, new trustees and delegates.
State Rep. Jeff McClain will be a guest speaker.
All Farm Bureau members are invited to attend.
Tickets are $12 each. Reservations should be made no later than Aug. 13 by calling the WCFB at 877-447-3091.
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text:
June 2010
It's not hockey: U.S., Canada collaborate on science for energy's sake
NOTE: I removed the photogragh of the signing because the info provided by ORNL was incorrect. I will attempt to correct the copy below when new information arrives.
Leaders of ORNL and Canada's CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory signed an agreement today (Wednesday) to work together on materials research that supports clean energy and energy efficiency.
The signing took place at the Oak Ridge lab's Court of Flags.
Continue reading "It's not hockey: U.S., Canada collaborate on science for energy's sake"
Cosmic rays, protons and the 'Fly's Eye'
What can you learn with a series of telescopes arranged across the Utah desert? Plenty, if you're interested in cosmic rays, their makeup and other questions that have asked for ages.
Here's the link to Phillip F. Schewe's report on Inside Science News Service, sponsored by the American Institute of Physics.
Award for Joy
David Joy, a distinguished scientist with joint appointments at ORNL and the University of Tennessee, has been awarded the 2010 Peter Duncumb Award for Excellence in Microanalysis from the Microbeam Analysis Society. He'll get the award at a meeting in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 2, according to info provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Kevin Smith named fed site manager Los Alamos
Kevin Smith, who previously served as the NNSA's deputy site manager at Y-12 and most recently has been acting site office manager at Kansas City, is the new federal overseer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He will head the National Nuclear Security Administration's site office there.
And, still, no mercury to be seen
For years, there have been reports of mercury droplets and globules visible in the storm sewers at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant -- a long-lived legacy of the plant's Cold War work on H-bombs (when mercury was used in massive quantities to separate lithium isotopes).
That's why, when the Dept. of Energy announced a year ago that one of the Oak Ridge stimulus project would be to remove mercury and remediate Y-12's storm sewer lines, I asked for photographs -- visible evidence -- of the mercury pollution that resulted from 1950s-era spills and discharges.
Sometimes the news biz gets a bit messy
Believe it or not, KNS Editor Jack McElroy didn't win today's pie-eating contest at the newspaper's pre-Fourth 'Luau.' It certainly wasn't for lack of effort, as evidenced by these photos.
You should have seen the winners.
Cook confirmed as NNSA defense chief
Don Cook has been confirmed as deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration and will oversee the U.S. nuclear weapons program. Most recently, Cook served as managing director and CEO of the Atomic Weapons Establishment in the UK.
Fan drives at Oak Ridge contractors
B&W Y-12, the government's contractor at Y-12, delivered a contribution of $1,075 (more than half of which came from employee contributions) to the Anderson County United Way fan drive to help those suffering from summer heat. Other contractors, including WSI, SAIC, Bechtel National and ORAU, are also participating in the effort.
J. Robert Oppenheimer at the Guest House in Oak Ridge.
photo/Ed Westcott
This is a classic Ed Westcott photograph, a complex, mesmerizing look at J. Robert Oppenheimer during a visit to Oak Ridge's Guest House. I had always assumed that the photograph was taken during the World War II Manhattan Project, but Westcott's daughter, Emily Westcott Hunnicutt, checked the photo log and said the date was Feb. 14, 1946 -- Valentine's Day -- several months after the A-bombs were dropped and the war ended.
Educators in Workplace, Y-12's turn
As part of the Innovation Valley's Educators in th Workplace program this summer, about 50 educators from areas schools and will visit Y-12 today, learn about inventions and inventors at the national security facility, and get an idea of how their teaching may or may not fit with the needs of the workplace.
Correcting safety issues in UPF design
Updated conceptual image of Uranium Processing Facility.
B&W Y-12, the government's managing contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, said it had resolved the majority of safety issues raised on the design of the confinement ventilation system for the Uranium Processing Facility and that remaining issues are being addressed, "with resolutions coming in the near future."
The contractor responded to questions about issues raised in a May 28 memo by staff of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The memo, made public recently, outlined several concerns that had been identified by the National Nuclear Security Administration's Y-12 Site Office, with the primary concern being a "lack of redundancy" of exhaust fans and power sources in the facilty's primary and secondary confinement zones. That reportedly meant that numerous "single-point failures" could shut down any of the three systems needed to operate a process area.
Nanoscience workshop at ORNL, Sept. 15-17
A two-day international workshop, "Scanning Probe Microscopy for Energy Applications," is being planned for September at ORNL's Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences. Sergei Kalinin, one of the organizers, passed along some info on the workshop.
Continue reading "Nanoscience workshop at ORNL, Sept. 15-17"
Y-12's titanium used for Army armor
While shucking excess materials as part of ongoing cleanup and modernization program, Y-12 workers came across some titanium (1,616 pounds) that had been acquired years ago but never used at the Oak Ridge weapons plant. As a result, it was shipped to the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command at Picatinney Arsenal in New Jersey, where it'll be used in development of lightweight protective body armor for soldiers.
According to info released by the National Nuclear Security Adminstration, "The high-strength lightweight material is also being considered . . . for use in breech assemblies on field artillery to improve maintenance and reliability."
DOE Oak Ridge Manager Gerald Boyd, right, with former spokesman Steven Wyatt (now w/NNSA) at a recent Y-12 shindig.
ORNL expands greenhouses for genetically tailored poplars, other projects
New greenhouses will be used for biofuels-related research at ORNL.
photos/Jason Richards
Three new state-of-the-art greenhouses (each of them 1,452 square feet) are almost ready for action at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The new facilities will support ORNL's work on biofuels and other projects. The greenhouses cost a total of $2.5 million and were constructed by Hickory Construction of Maryville.
The greenhouses will be used to grow little poplar trees that have been genetically modified to enhance their growth rate and other traits -- such as resistance to drought -- to support production of biofuels.
Some of the enhanced strains of poplar trees can grow a foot a month.
Continue reading "ORNL expands greenhouses for genetically tailored poplars, other projects"
A brief stint on Y-12's no-fly list
For about 24 hours last week, Wed.-Thurs., I was unable to access Y-12's public Web site, and -- after I checked around -- other folks at the News Sentinel couldn't either, although we could get there via other sources outside the newspaper. When trying to access the nuclear weapons plant's site, I kept getting the Forbidden response from the browser, telling me I didn't have permission to access via this server.
When I inquired to the folks at Y-12, the initial response was that the problem was on our end. After our IT folks checked it out and did a tracer, they said the access problem apppeared to be on Y-12's end. When that info was forwarded to Y-12, they did something and the problem was resolved.
I asked for an explanation, and here's the response Y-12 provided Monday evening:
Bravo for Peter Cummings
Peter Cummings, principal scientist at ORNL's Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences and John R. Hall Professor in the Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Vanderbilt, will receive the 2010 Founder's Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineering. The award will be presented at the annual meeting, Nov. 7-12, in Salt Lake City.
Mold? Probably; Ghosts? Probably not
What do you find in a night at the historic Alexander Inn in Oak Ridge? Here's the story on Knoxnews.com.
Roberson named vice chair of DNFSB
Jessie Hill Roberson, a UT nuclear engineering grad and former asst. secretary at the Dept. of Energy, has been named vice chairman of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Roberson's nomination as a board member was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March, and her designation as vice chairman came June 24 from President Obama. Her term on the board expires Oct. 18, 2013.
Y-12 & mercury: another chapter in cleanup story
The folks at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant are getting ready to remediate the old storm sewers as part of a Recovery Act-funded West End Mercury Area project. This work is part of the cleanup responsibilities specified in the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek agreement with environmental regulators.
The plan is to remove mercury-contaminated sediments from the old storm-sewer lines at Y-12 and reline or replace the storm lines to keep the contamination -- leftover from the plant's early-Cold War work on thermonuclear weapons -- from continually infiltrating those areas. I recalled that years ago some cleanup activities at Y-12 ended up flushing some of the mercury into creek -- increasing -- at least on a temporary basis -- some of the pollutant discharges. I asked B&W, the current contractor, what precautions are being taken in this new project to keep that from happening.
Continue reading "Y-12 & mercury: another chapter in cleanup story"
DOE: more than $100M saved on 1st-round stimulus projects
I reported earlier the list of environmental management projects that the Dept. of Energy wants to do with money saved from the first round of Recovery Act work in Oak Ridge. According to DOE spokesman John Shewairy, the money saved by projects coming in under budget is believed to be between $100 million and $150 million, and that's what will be applied to the new work.
Continue reading "DOE: more than $100M saved on 1st-round stimulus projects"
Could old Y-12 tech be of Gulf help?
Larry Hawk, a retired engineer and inventor of note who worked at all three Oak Ridge plants (Y-12, K-25 and ORNL), wrote last week to say he thought an oil skimmer developed decades ago for use at Y-12 could be of benefit to those doing cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico.
Here's what he wrote:
Bechtel's Liedle coming back to Oak Ridge
Steve Liedle, a veteran Bechtel exec who previously held top positions with federal contractors in Oak Ridge, is returning to Oak Ridge following a 2 1/2-year stint as deputy director of Lawrence Livermore National Lab in California.
According to information released by Livermore, Liedle will take a senior position with Bechtel National Inc. in Oak Ridge -- effective in July.
Continue reading "Bechtel's Liedle coming back to Oak Ridge"
UT & Y-12 partners on MBA program
B&W Y-12, the government's contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, is working with UT's College of Business Administration to help attract top students to the MBA program and bolster the business management sectors at Y-12.
According to info released by UT, the Career Advantage Program is the first time the Business College has worked with a partner organization to help identify top candidates for the MBA program. As part of that partnership, Y-12 is offering full-time jobs to up to five prospective students before they enroll in the UT MBA program. Y-12 in the past has offered part-time internships to several students after they enrolled.
Checking out K-25
Earlier pic shows the K-25 West Wing demolition in progress.
BJC photo
As part of the Dept. of Energy's evaluation of the K-25 building, its structural integrity and the possibility that a section of the remaining building could be salvaged for use as a future exhibit at the site, a preservation consultant and a structural engineer are scheduled to take a close look on Wednesday.
'This is a golden egg for Oak Ridge'
Cindy Kelly, president of the Atomic Heritage Foundation, said there have been "very positive developments" over the past couple of months -- both for the establishment of a historical national park for the Manhattan Project and preservation progress in Oak Ridge.
A big boost, Kelly noted, has been the support of DOE Asst. Secretary Ines Triay, who wrote a letter to the National Park Service supporting the mutli-site proposal for a park and affirming that DOE would indeed retain ownership of the World War II nuclear facilities and maintain their safety.
"The National Park Service was nervous about being stuck with so-called Superfund sites," Kelly said, noting that NPS has a budget that's only a tenth the size of DOE's.
History humbug: Joe Lenhard's view
Joe Lenhard, a retired Dept. of Energy exec who back in his heyday used to oversee the research operations at Oak Ridge National Lab, is Oak Ridge to the core. He's tight with his money, but if he's going to spend it, you can bet it'll be in Oak Ridge. Since retiring from DOE in 1989, Lenhard has worked on economic development via the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee and otherwise.
Lenhard loves Oak Ridge, but he's not as sold on some of the historic preservation activities as some other folks. Not at all. Some of the proposals are, the 81-year-old said, "a little bit overdone."
How enriched was Y-12's WWII uranium?
Published reports indicate that the LIttle Boy atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, had 64 kilograms of uranium enriched to an average of 80 percent U-235 -- although Y-12 reportedly supplied about 50 kgs of material with enrichment up to 89 percent.
During a recent visit to Bldg. 9731, Y-12's original pilot plant with Alpha and Beta calutrons that were used to electromagnetically separate isotopes of uranium, I asked Y-12 historian Ray Smith about the enriched material that came out of Oak Ridge during the war effort.
Nuke security group upset by G-8 inaction
The Fissile Materials Working Group expressed disappointment that G-8 leaders didn't renew a Global Partnership effort to lock down weapons of mass destruction around the world.
According to info distributed by the coalition of nuclear security experts and advocates, the G-8 leaders opted to evaluate renewed funding options instead of making a firm commitment. In a statement, Kenneth Luongo, president of the Partnership for Global Security and co-chair of the Fissile Materials Working Group, said:
Continue reading "Nuke security group upset by G-8 inaction"
Does Y-12's H-bomb role take a back seat?
Harold Cofer, retired electrical supervisor at Y-12, is proud and pleased with efforts at historic preservation in Oak Ridge and thanks those who've contributed their time and resources. He wonders, however, why not much has been done to recognize the Y-12 role in development of the H-bomb at the start of the Cold War and to salvage some of that history.
Continue reading "Does Y-12's H-bomb role take a back seat?"
The strengths of ORNL nuke simulation team
There was much excitement last month when an Oak Ridge National Laboratory-led team won the Dept. of Energy competition for the Nuclear Simulation and Modeling Hub. Indeed, one of the strengths of the proposals was the strength of the partners on the ORNL team.
Here are reports on the roles of some partners on the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Lightwater Reactors (CASL), such as North Carolina State University, Sandia National Laboratories, Westinghouse, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
'Sprucing up' historic Graphite Reactor on ORNL's agenda
Any plans about heritage tourism in Oak Ridge and telling the story of Tennessee's contributions to the Manhattan Project will, of course, include the Graphite Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It was the world's first continuously operated nuclear reactor and a pilot facility for the plutonium production reactors that were built at Hanford, Wash.
The Graphite Reactor, which operated for 20 years (1943-63), is designated as a National Historic Landmark, and it's located in ORNL's central campus, which is currently undergoing a major cleanup effort that includes demolition of multiple facilities. Jeff Smith, the lab's deputy director for operations, said there are plans to "spruce up" the reactor and enhance the visiting experience at the Graphite Reactor after the cleanup work is mostly completed.
Continue reading "'Sprucing up' historic Graphite Reactor on ORNL's agenda"
Chu to Oxford
Energy Secretary and Nobel Laureate Steven Chu will be in the UK Sunday to give the keynote address at the World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment. The event is hosted by the Oxford University Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. This year's forum is, "Low Carbon Mobility: Land, Sea and Air."
According to info released by the Dept. of Energy, Chu on Monday will attend "diplomatic meetings focused on solving our shared energy and climate challenges." He then will return to the U.S. (Houston) for work on the Gulf oil disaster.
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Golly, gee . . . 100 calculations per minute!
Jim Pearce of ORNL forwarded a copy of this photograph which appeared in the April 1, 1949, issue of Oak Ridge National Laboratory News. It shows an early computer, known as the I.B.M. Model 604 Electronic Calculating Machine, with a capability of 100 calculations per minute. Even though it ran on April Fools Day, there apparently was no fooling on that amazing feat. ("As far as I can tell, it's legitimate," Pearce said.)
Imagine that. Nowadays, ORNL has multiple computers -- including Jaguar, the world's fastest computer -- that are capable of more than 1,000 trillion calculations per second.
As part of climate study, ORNL-led team will turn up the heat in Alaska
Experimental sites must be near power source at Barrow. Alaska.
ORNL photo
Stan Wullschleger, distinguished research scientist in ORNL's Environmental Sciences Division, is heading up a new project in Alaska that ultimately will evaluate the effects of global warming on areas with layers of permanently frozen soil (permafrost).
In the initial stages, which may get started before the end of September, the team will test the heating systems needed to raise the soil temps (in 20-meter plots) by 4 degrees centigrade and then eventually build that capability to 8 degrees C, Wullschleger said this morning. The heating elements are similar to those that have been used for studies on the Oak Ridge reservation, but they've been tweaked a bit to adapt to extraordinarily cold temperatures in Alaska.
The initial test site will be near Fairbanks (photo, left, of boreal forest) and Barrow, which is the northernmost city in the United States. "If you go farther north, you're in the Arctic Ocean," said Wullschleger, who's a newbie to Alaska but has been there a few times in recent months to get ready for the research project.
Continue reading "As part of climate study, ORNL-led team will turn up the heat in Alaska"
A look at Oak Ridge history
Oak Ridge historian Bill Wilcox with Beta calutrons at Y-12.
I'm working on a story to run this weekend in the News Sentinel on Oak Ridge preservation efforts and the future of heritage tourism. Last week, media members and others got a chance to look at the original Pilot Plant at Y-12 that was used during World War II to test the effectiveness of Alpha and Beta calutrons -- electromagnetic machines that could separate the U-235 needed for atomic bombs.
Gaseous surprise at Y-12
I spent some time earlier this week at Y-12, taking a look at the Recovery Act cleanup projects -- including work at the old scrapyard that straddles the PIDAS on the plant's west end. That work is progressing well ahead of schedule, according to B&W's project manager, Brad Mattie, but there have been surprises.
The biggest surprise, he said, was the number of gas cylinders hidden among the big piles of metal scap (stuff that dates back to the 1970s).
Y-12's role on W87 Joint Test Assembly
The National Nuclear Security Administration today announced a successful test of a Joint Test Assembly for the W87 warhead, which flew from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on board a Minuteman III missile. According to the NNSA release, the recent test "was conducted in close working cooperation with the U.S. Air Force."
Y-12 built parts for the JTA, according to Steven Wyatt, an NNSA spokesman in Oak Ridge.
How many dragon's teeth at Y-12?
I posted a picture recently that showed some of the dragon's teeth outside Building 9731 (the original Pilot Plant) at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant and noted that these security tools -- and plenty of others -- were in place on the grounds all around the key facilities there.
Well, I asked how many of the dragon's teeth were at Y-12, and federal spokesman Steven Wyatt replied today by e-mail: "Approximately 3,000."
Davidson named to rail safety panel
Diane Davidson of ORNL has been named to the newly formed Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety. The 20-member committee will advise the Federal Transit Administration on new safety standards for rail transit.
Davidson is director of ORNL's Center for Transportation Analysis.
NNSA correction
The NNSA confirmed this afternoon that the correct date of the contract extensions at Y-12 and Pantex is Sept. 30, 2011 -- not Sept. 20 as noted in the initial announcement.
NNSA planning 1-year extensions at Y-12 & Pantex
The National Nuclear Security Adminstration announced today that it is "considering" extending the M&O contracts at Y-12 in Oak Ridge and Pantex at Amarillo for one year. The extensions would would from Oct. 1, 2010 through Sept. 20, 2011, with each contract extension carrying a three-month option that could be exercised if needed for the transition to a new contractor.
According to the NNSA announcement, these extensions would allow the Source Evaluation Board time to complete the competitive contract process for a new contract, which is supposed to combine the management of Y-12 and Pantex and possibly include the tritium operations performed at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
Continue reading "NNSA planning 1-year extensions at Y-12 & Pantex"
Y-12 to host Veterans Biz Conference
Aug. 3 is the date of the 4th annual East Tennessee Veterans Business Conference, which will be held at the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.
According to information distributed by Y-12, more than 400 people are expected to attend the event that "will help veteran-owned companies learn how to do business with federal, state and local governments, agencies and other companies, from small businesses to prime federal contractors."
29 states -- a sign of Heritage Tourism?
The original Y-12 Pilot Plant, where calutrons were used to electromagnetically separate U-235 for the first atomic bomb, was opened to the public Saturday and, as noted in an earlier post, more than 1,300 people participated in tours during the one-day-only event. According to info from Y-12, the visitors came from 29 states (including Tennessee).
Here's a list of the states:
Wamp's perspective on UPF
I recently posted some comments by Y-12 GM Darrel Kohlhorst, who expressed concern about FY 2011 funding for the Uranium Processing Facility and indicated that Oak Ridge officials were hoping for action in Congress that might boost the administration's request for UPF.
When I talked Monday with U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, probably Y-12's biggest supporter in Washington, about the UPF levels and what's to be expected, here's what he said:
Working with Kuwait on nuke security
The National Nuclear Security Administration has scheduled a ceremony for Wednesday to sign a "memorandum of cooperation" on nuclear safeguards with Kuwait's National Nuclear Energy Committee. NNSA Administrator Tom D'Agostino is supposed to sign the deal, along with Ahmad Bishara, secretary general of Kuwait's nuclear agency.
A bright idea: NEON
As noted last year around this time, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Dept. of Energy's Oak Ridge reservation will be part of a big ecological program known as NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network).
The participation was made official with the signing of a memorandum of agreement between DOE and the National Science Foundation, which is heading the $434 million effort. All told, about 20 sites will be used to gather information -- with special instruments, etc., -- about ecosystems and how they work (or don't).
Pollution on the half shell
ORNL scientists gather Asiatic clams in Little Sewee Creek.
A team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Environmental Sciences Division this week collected more than 500 Asiatic clams (Corbicula) in Little Sewee Creek near Sweetwater. According to info provided by the lab, the clams will be used as part of water quality testing at K-25 and locations around ORNL.
Alexander on biomass
According to info distributed by his staff, Sen. Lamar Alexander made these remarks, among others, on the Senate floor today in regard to renewable energy sources:
"Biomass can and should be an important, albeit a small part, of our electricity portfolio by using excess forest material and industrial wood waste . . . .Just like other renewable electricity sources, it cannot be the solution to clean energy because of the problem of scale. We would have to continually forest an area one-and-a-half times the size of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to replace the electricity created by two standard coal plants or one standard nuclear reactor."
Supercomputing and nuclear security
Tom D'Agostino, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Security Administration, today addressed the 2010 Dept. of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship conference. Here's the text of his welcoming remarks.
Here's an excerpt on recruiting talent for nuclear security:
Wamp wants to put Y-12/Pantex on hold
At a recent meeting in Oak Ridge, Helen Hardin, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp's chief of staff, complained that the congressman's office was having a difficult time getting information out of the National Nuclear Security Administration about the upcoming competition for a contract that combines the management of Y-12 and Pantex (and possibly include the tritium operations at Savannah River).
Today, I asked Wamp about the situation, and he said he has great concerns about the NNSA's plan and how it would impact Oak Ridge in the long-term. "To be candid with you, we're hoping for a postponement on this -- a delay to give adequate time for our questions and the community's questions, Oak Ridge's questions, to be answered about this," the congressman said during a brief interview.
DU on Sandia's tools
In a follow-up question to an earlier post on Toxco's recycling of contaminated tools from Sandia National Labs in California, Toxco general manager Rick Low said the principal contaminant is depleted uranium.
DOE's Recovery Act wish list
DOE Manager Gerald Boyd recently said that the Oak Ridge office had submitted a number of Environmental Management (EM) projects to agency headquarters in Washington for possible funding with Recovery Act money. Boyd indicated that several stimulus projects in Oak Ridge were being accomplished with less money than originally projected and that those savings might be applied to new Oak Ridge projects, if approved as required in some instances, or projects that might be carried out if more Recovery Act funds become available.
I asked the department last week for a list of the potential EM projects, and DOE spokesman John Shewairy provided some info today by e-mail.
Stakes are high on new Oak Ridge contracts
Latest column in Knoxville Business Journal. Here's the link.
Y-12's original Pilot Plant proves popular
For the first time ever, the public was allowed to see Y-12's original pilot, and 1,377 took advantage of the one-day-only tour of Building 9731. That's according to Y-12 historian Ray Smith, who coordinated the Saturday event as part of Oak Ridge's Secret City Festival.
That's a lot of folks being moved in and out of the high-security facility for the one-hour tours.
Putting some oomph in energy audits
Larisa Brass at Knoxbiz.com tells how ORNL's work on "Save Energy Now" is supposed to help put energy-saving recommendations into action.
The campaign trail at Y-12
B&W Y-12 photo
Robin Smith, who's seeking the Republican nomination for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District seat (currently held by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp), talks with Jerry Talbot, the NNSA's assistant administrator for management and administration, who was in Oak Ridge last week for dedication of Y-12's new steam plant. In the foreground, that's Ted Sherry, the federal site manager at Y-12.
Changing DOE management of U-233 project
Wendy Cain, the deputy federal project director on the U-233 Project in Oak Ridge, is now acting in the lead role following Gary Riner's detail to D.C. as acting deputy asst. secretary for project management in the Dept. of Energy's EM organization. Riner's detail started on June 14.
DOE spokesman John Shewairy said work is under way on bringing another person on board as Riner's replacement. "We are finalizing plans to bring another individual in as Federal Project Director under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, or IPA as it's commonly referred to."
Oak Ridge firm recycling Sandia's dirty tools
The NNSA announced last week that it had gotten rid of some contaminated "excess tools" at Sandia National Labs in California under a "low-cost plan" that saved taxpayers about $4 million -- the cost of disposing of the equipment at the Nevada Test Site. The savings came about because an Oak Ridge company -- Toxco Materials Management Center -- agreed to take title to Sandia's hot tools, with plans to clean them up and sell them.
Rick Low, Toxco's facility general manager in Oak Ridge, said, "In the case of the Sandia equipment, Toxco took title to the equipment; charged a fee to cover our freight of the machines and basic fixed costs which we estimate to be the disposal of the waste materials we generate during the decontamination process."
Continue reading "Oak Ridge firm recycling Sandia's dirty tools"
Tech showcase a hit
There was a good crowd for Friday's Innovation Valley Technology Resource Showcase, which was held at the New Hope Center at Y-12. Bob Fowler has the story over at Knoxnews.com.
Summertime at the lab
From left, Paul Toth, David Reeves and Spenser Walsh at lab orientation.
photo/Colby Earles
Hundreds of students and faculty members spend all or parts of their summer doing research, interning or otherwise studying science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Earlier this week, many of the new arrivals took part in a welcome program, "A Taste of ORNL's Diverse Culture," including the above-pictured undergrads.
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Yes, the uranium parts, too
There were some questions raised regarding the life-extension programs, notably the refurbishment of B61 bombs and what work was done on the secondary stage of the bombs at Y-12. I think it was POGO (Project On Government Oversight) that questioned whether the uranium parts were actually replaced during the project.
HFIR back in business
The High Flux Isotope Reactor, which was shut down May 29 for refueling and maintenance, was restarted Wednesday morning and is operating at full power (85 megawatts), ORNL reactors chief Ron Crone said today by e-mail.
Back in the USA: Mann going to Brookhaven
Reinhold Mann, former exec at ORNL and Pacific Northwest National Lab who more recently has been senior VP for R&D at Battelle Science and Technology Malaysia, is joining the management team at Brookhaven National Lab. Effective July 1, he'll become associate lab director for environment and life sciences. Here's a link to the announcement.
Georgia on his mind
D'Agostino looks out over Freedom Square in Tbilisi,Georgia.
NNSA photo
NNSA Administrator Tom D'Agostino was in Prague today, giving a speech at the American Center, but earlier in the week he was in the Republic of Georgia. According to info distributed by NNSA, D'Agostino highlighted U.S.-Georgian cooperation on nuclear security issues.
Gates stands firm on missile defense
Here's a link to the report by Walter Pincus of The Washington Post on Defense Secretary Robert Gates' appearance today before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
New Ph.D.s in health physics at 40-year low
According to a report by researchers at the Oak Ridge Insitute for Science and Education, undergraduate degrees in health physics (the science of radiation protection) increased slightly in 2009 -- cotninuing a recent trend -- but the number of doctorate degrees awarded hit a 40-year low.
The report, "Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2009 Data," surveyed 24 academic programs -- including the University of Tennessee -- with students majoring in health physcis or in "an option program equivalent to a major."
Continue reading "New Ph.D.s in health physics at 40-year low"
Dragon's teeth galore at Y-12
Don't try to park the family sedan near Building 9731 at Y-12. This security feature, first used during World War II to slow the movement of tanks and mechanized forces, is in place all across the nuclear weapons production plant in Oak Ridge.
Chu testifies on New START Treaty
Energy Secretary Steven Chu testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the New START Treaty. "The New START Treaty will enhance, not harm, our ability to maintain the safety, security and effectiveness of our nuclear weapons stockpile," Chu said.
Here's the full text of his prepared testimony:
Report: ETTP proposal teams taking shape
DOE's final Request for Proposals is not yet out, but apparently the bidding teams for the big cleanup contract in Oak Ridge are taking shape. Mike Nartker of Weapons Complex Monitor reported recently that at least three proposal teams have been formed to bid on the East Tennessee Technology Park contract (which will include some ongoing management work at ORNL and Y-12).
The return of Walter Perry
Walter Perry, who once upon a time worked in the Dept. of Energy's public affairs office in Oak Ridge, is returning to the area -- this time in his management role with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Perry, the director of SBA's Tennessee District Office, will be one of the speakers at the June 24 meeting of the Energy, Technology and Environmental Business Association. The other speaker will be Saundra Jackson, the SBA Senior Area Manager over government contracting.
The meeting will be held at the Cedar Bluff Holiday Inn in Knoxville, with networking at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30. The presentation starts at 7.
Forum on Recovery Act safety record
The Oak Ridge Business Safety Partnership will holds its quarterly forum June 23, 8-10 a.m., at the American Museum of Science & Energy. The topic is, "A Safety Snapshot: Our Record Under ARRA on the ORR."
Here's a list of the presenters:
ORAU sending 10 grad students to Lindau
Oak Ridge Associated Universities is sending 10 graduate student reserachers from ORAU's member institutions to Lindau, Germany, for the 60th Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates and Students (June 27-July 2). At the meeting, the top students will participate in discussions with the Nobel Laureates and attend lectures.
For a list of the students and more information, click here.
Do not remove under penalty of law
Historic artifact tag on the Alpha calutrons at Y-12 Pilot Plant.
The Alpha calutrons housed in Building 9731 (the Pilot Plant for uranium enrichment) at Y-12 are the only ones left in the world, according to Y-12 historian Ray Smith. The Oak Ridge facility is being opened to public view for the first time this Saturday. The calutrons have been designated as Manhattan Project Signature Artifacts by the Dept. of Energy. The building has been submitted for Historical Landmark status on the National Register of Historic Places.
UT grad's pioneering role at Y-12
The University of Tennessee is distributing info on Jane Greer Puckett, the first female graduate in statistics, who played an interesting and important role in Y-12's early work on the Manhattan Project. She was a so-called "calutron girl," and ended up training many of the employees how to take the vital stats from the machines associated with the uranium separations work taking place at Oak Ridge. Here's the link. Puckett will take part in Saturday's public tours -- the first ever -- at the Y-12 Pilot Plant.
ITER meeting in China
Representatives from ITER's seven Members gather for photo op in Suzhou.
The ITER Council, the governing body of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project, convened for its sixth meeting this week in Suzhou, China. The two-day meeting, which concludes today, included representatives from the international members -- China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States. The chairman is Evgeny Velikhov of Russia.
Kohlhorst: UPF 'proceeding well' but a little concern about FY2011 funding
Darrel Kohlhorst, president and general manager of B&W Y-12, said design work on the Uranium Processing Faciliity is proceeding well.
"We've got a fully staffed up design team," Kohlhorst said during a short interview Tuesday before an event to celebrate Y-12's new steam plant. "We're about 42 percent design complete at this stage. Now, the things that we really need to do for preparing the site and getting ready for construction, we're in the 90 percentile there . . . We're almost ready to do that. In fact, it's the next document (Critical Decision-2/3A -- site preparation and long lead procurements) that goes into the government. We're trying to see that we get that in there late this fall, which would allow us to get (FY) 2012 dollars to start site prep and construction on it."
Continue reading "Kohlhorst: UPF 'proceeding well' but a little concern about FY2011 funding"
Wirth fills 9th UT/ORNL Governor's Chair
Brian Wirth, described as an authority on the way materials behave in extreme environments, is the newest researcher to join the UT/ORNL Governor's Chair program that offers joint appointments at the two institutions.
Wirth will join the Department of Nuclear Engineering faculty at UT and work in ORNL's Computer Science and Mathematics Division. Read the full announcement at Tennessee Today.
NNSA's Talbot talks about Y-12/Pantex contract
I had a chance to talk briefly with Jerry Talbot, an assistant administrator with National Nuclear Security Administration and a long-time federal manager, this afternoon at an Oak Ridge shindig for the new $59 million steam plant at Y-12. Guarding the taxpayer dollars seemed to be a theme on Talbot's mind, because I noted that in a quote attributed to him in a press release about the new steam plant. He recycled some of the same words when I asked him about administration of the soon-to-be-competed combined contract for management of Y-12 and Pantex (and possibly the tritium operations at Savannah River).
"The government is always in a position to take care of taxpayer dollars," Talbot said. "Frank, you're a taxpayer, I'm a taxpayer. Everybody out here is trying to figure out how do we defend the nation and how to defend the precious resources of our country. So this consolidation of contracts is an opportunity viewed from the business community and the admnistration's point of view that we ought to explore this and say, 'Is this the right thing do?' I think we sell ourselves short if we don't explore this opportunity."
Continue reading "NNSA's Talbot talks about Y-12/Pantex contract"
Three cheers and a storm at Y-12
A new $59 million steam plant is now up and running at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, and officials gathered Tuesday to celebrate the cleaner, more efficient operation.
Things didn't turn out as planned, because Mother Nature brought a severe storm to the area. The speech-making and obligatory kudos to those who performed well to get the big project completed were moved inside (to the nearby Alpha-3 facility), but everything got done that needed to get done.
The new gas-fired boiler system at Y-12 replaces a problem-plagued, 1950s-era coal-fired plant. It's expected to greatly reduce emissions -- particulate matter by 71 percent, sulfur dioxide by 99 percent and nitrogen oxide by 95 percent. That's according to Y-12 projections. There also will be significant reductions in so-called greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, Y-12 said.
Building 9731
Building 9731 was the first building completed at Y-12 (March 1943) during the World War II Manhattan Project. For the first time ever, the Pilot Plant will be available for public viewing this Saturday as part of the Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge. The building contains some of the original calutrons that were used to concentrate U-235 for the atomic bomb.
Lester named VP at ORAU
Tony Lester has been named vice president and director of the peer review programs at Oak Ridge Associated Universities. He has been acting in that role since September 2009, according to info distributed by ORAU.
In a statement, ORAU President Andy Page said: "Tony's proven leadership and strategic oversight for this program is helping build upon its national reputation as a leader in scientific peer review and related services. I am confident Tony's vast experience both here at ORAU and outside the company will help this program further develop its reputation, services and capabilities in the long-term."
DOE's Gerald Boyd: 'We're saving money on several of our (Recovery Act) projects'
I talked briefly with DOE Manager Gerald Boyd the other day at an East Tennessee Economic Council meeting and asked him the status of the Recovery Act work. In particular, I wanted to know if there might be additional work forthcoming in the final year of the stimulus program.
"We're doing very well with the Recovery Act projects that we have got. We've met all our goals, we're on schedule. It's been a real boon to us to get the funding to start projects that we weren't going to be able to do without it," DOE's Oak Ridge chief said. "All of the projects have an end to them, though, and we went into it knowing that. So, we have sufficient funding to finish all the projects that we've got started."
Continue reading "DOE's Gerald Boyd: 'We're saving money on several of our (Recovery Act) projects'"
Bolstering Malta's nuke detection
The U.S. and the Republic of Malta have reached an agreement in which the National Nuclear Security Adminstration will provide radiation detection equipment and related stuff, as well as training, at the port of Marsaxlokk.
The cooperative pact was signed by U.S. Ambassador Douglas Kmiec and Malta's Director General of Customs Joseph Brincat, the NNSA said.
Ghosts of atomic past
Barbara Ferrell of the Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort stands in hallway of the historic Guesthouse.
photo/Bob Fowler
The old Alexander Inn, also known as The Guesthouse, once welcomed Robert Oppenheimer and other Manhattan Project luminaries. It's now a sought-after location for ghost hunters and groups exploring the paranormal. Bob Fowler has the story at Knoxnews.com.
Y-12's oldest building & its treasures
Alpha calutron magnets are more than 20 feet tall.
For the first time ever, Y-12 is opening its original Pilot Plant -- Building 9731 -- to public viewing this weekend as part of the Secret City Festival in Oak Ridge, and some media members and a few Y-12 retirees got a preview of the facility this morning.
The tour included a look at the Pilot Plant's Alpha calutrons, the only ones left in the world, as well as a couple of the Beta calutrons. The calutrons were used during the wartime Manhattan Project to test the electromagnetic separation processes used to separate the U-235 needed for the atomic bomb -- Little Boy -- ultimately dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
In the photo at right, Y-12 historian Ray Smith stands in front of the Beta calutrons in Building 9731. For more information on the June 19 public tours of the facility, check out this site.
BIG scholarships
The Oak Ridge chapter of Blacks in Government (BIG) is awarding $1,000 scholarships to six area students -- Maite Aponte of Bearden High School; Korrie Barnes and Justin Wakefield of Hardin Valley Academy; Kiara Rainey of Powell High School; and Brandon Beverly and Arielle Sherrod of West High School.
The 2010 recipients may use the scholarships at the college of their choice.
Ed Westcott: a Manhattan Project masterpiece
Ed Westcott, the government photographer who documented the World War II Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge (including my parents' wedding on July 5, 1945) and much more after that, was on hand today for a tour of Building 9731 -- the first building completed at Y-12 during the war effort.
Westcott poses with a T-shirt bearing the image of one of his memorable photos taken at war's end.
Vanderbilt physician heads nuclear medicine group
Dr. Dominique Delbeke, a physician who is director of nuclear medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, is the new president of the Society of Nuclear Medicine. The new officers were introduced last week at the society's annual meeting in Salt Lake City.
Continue reading "Vanderbilt physician heads nuclear medicine group"
Pump and treat until something better comes along
I posted an update recently about chemical pollution east of Y-12 and noted that the off-site underground plume was stable. According to John Owsley, the state's environmental oversight chief, the treatment remedy for the time has apparently kept the plume from moving further east in the Union Valley Industrial Park.
When asked about the long-term strategy to deal with the chlorinated volatile organic compounds, including carbon tetrachloride, Owsley said, "Right now, it's pump and treat until we determine something is better."
Continue reading "Pump and treat until something better comes along"
Can North Korea build the H-bomb?
Dr. Jeffrey Lewis poses the question, based on a declaration last month in a North Korea newspaper about a successful nuclear fusion reaction, and a whole lot more over at 38 North, as well as a link-up at his Arms Control Wonk.
Engineering society's 125th year
Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society that has its world headquarters on the University of Tennessee's Knoxville campus, is celebrating its 125th anniversary (on June 15). It is reportedly the second oldest honor society in the U.S. and the world's largest engineering honor society, with collegiate chapters at 236 colleges and universities.
Innovation Valley tech showcase
The Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley is having a tech showcase this coming Friday at Y-12's New Hope Center. Hyun Chung has the story at Knoxnews.com.
EnergySolutions offering tours at Clive
Mixed reviews apparently about the EnergySolutions offering of public tours at its waste disposal facility in Utah. Here's a link for the story at Fox13Now.
Maybe the company will do the same for the Bear Creek waste-processing plant in Oak Ridge.
Car crazy at ORNL
Kids at work: Y-12
Corey Smith, 8th grader at Greenway Middle School in Knoxville, joins his mother, Y-12 energy manager Rosanne Smith, during the plant's "Bring Our Children to Work" day earlier this week.
B&W photo
Harrington picked for high NNSA post
The White House today announced the nomination of Anne M. Harrington as Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Harrington currently is director of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on International Security and Arms Control amd previously worked for 15 years at the State Dept. Here's her bio distributed by the NNSA this evening:
Could there be a bidding war for the headquarters of the Y-12/Pantex combined contract?
Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan said he thinks Oak Ridge should be the headquarters for the future Y-12/Pantex contractor, which may also include the Savannah River tritium operations. Beehan said he thinks Oak Ridge should be home base, regardless of how the contract competition proceeds.
However, Beehan also indicated that the city might be willing to offer incentives to make sure the new contractor calls Oak Ridge home, including the possibility of tax breaks.
The issue of the contractor's home base came up last week when Patty Wagner, chair of the Source Evaluation Board for the Y-12/Pantex combined contract, was in Oak Ridge for a presentation to the East Tennessee Economic Council and other interested members of the community.
Continue reading "Could there be a bidding war for the headquarters of the Y-12/Pantex combined contract?"
ORAU/ORNL computing grants
Oak Ridge Associated Universities and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partners in a High Performance Computing Grant Program, now in its second year.
In the 2010 program, ORAU is providing up to $75,000 over three years to two researchers -- Ashok Srinivasan, Department of Computer Sciences, at Florida State University and Chris Fragile, Department of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Charleston --- and their teams.
Nuke upswing in UT class
I did a recent post on nuke security exercise that was conducted as part of a University of Tennessee class taught by Howard Hall, nuclear engineering professor and Governor's Chair of Nuclear Security. Cool stuff (even if the bad guys won), and now it seems there's been an upswing in that class, titled, "Nuclear Security Science and Analysis."
15 candidates for Oak Ridge city manager
The list of candidates for Oak Ridge city manager has been whittled down to 15, Bob Fowler reports on Knoxnews.com.
ORAU awards grants to junior faculty
Oak Ridge Associated Universities has awarded grants totaling $160,000 to 32 junior faculty members from the consortium's sponsoring institutions. The Ralph Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Program is now in its 20th year.
Click here for more information and a list of those getting grants.
Parker is the new prez of IGUA, Local 3
Bobby Parker is the new president of Local 3, International Guards Union of America, in Oak Ridge. Parker defeated incumbent Randy Lawson (who remains president of the International union and active in the National Council of Security Police) in an election and took office last month. Lawson had been the local's president since 1994.
Whitley won't seek reelection as ATLC chief
Garry Whitley, president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council, which represents about 2,200 hourly workers at ORNL and Y-12, confirmed that he won't seek reelection when his term expires in December.
Continue reading "Whitley won't seek reelection as ATLC chief"
Another expansion of Oak Ridge landfill underway
Environmental regulators have approved another expansion of DOE's CERCLA landfill in Oak Ridge, which will push the disposal capacity to 2.2 million cubic yards and apparently be the final addition to the facility that opened in 2002.
Cell 5, which brought the capacity to 1.7 million cubic yards (the previous cap under the original Record of Decision) was completed in May. Bechtel Jacobs Co., DOE's environmental manager in Oak Ridge, said work is already underway on Cell 6, which will be constructed by Avisco -- the same woman-owned company that built Cell 5.
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ORNL: Fish exposed to fly ash appear healthy
The fish in the Clinch and Emory Rivers exposed to fly ash from the massive spill in December 2008 appear to be generally healthy so far, according to information released today by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Mark Peterson, who heads an ecological assessment team in ORNL's Environmental Sciences Division, said in a statement, "We are looking to see if there has been an effect on overall fish health and reproductive condition and, so far, such effects have not been evident."
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'Morning of Resistance' at Y-12 July 5
Peace groups and activists pushing for nuclear disarmament are planning to gather in Maryville for the weekend of July 3-5 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Nuclear Resister and Nukewatch and anniversary of the first Plowshares Action at King of Prussia, Pa.
A couple of trips are planned to the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, which produced the enriched uranium for the A-bomb dropped on Hirsohima and remains a key part of U.S. nuclear weapons complex. On Monday, July 5, a "morning of resistance" is planned at the Oak Ridge plant, according to information distributed by the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance.
U.S. to equip Croatia for nuke detection
The National Nuclear Security Administration has signed an agreement with the Republic of Croatia that allows the U.S. agency to provide rad-detection equipment at Croatia's points of entry -- including seaports, airports and border crossings.
Recovery Act project (landfill expansion) completed ahead of schedule, under budget
More than a million tons of waste have been sent to landfill since 2002.
BJC photos
Bechtel Jacobs Co. said the expansion of the Oak Ridge nuclear landfill was completed under budget and about a month ahead of schedule. Dennis Hill, a BJC spokesman, said construction of Cell 5 (photo, right) was completed May 18, with Avisco being the major subcontractor on the Recovery Act project.
Hill said cost of the Cell 5 project was about $1.8 million under the baseline budget of $19.1 million. The expansion brings the total capacity of the CERCLA landfill (known officially as the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility) to 1.7 million cubic yards, but further expansion -- construction of Cell 6 -- is already under way. I'll post more on that later.
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Oak Ridge re-ups lobbyists in Nashville, Washington
Here's the story over at Knoxnews.com.
How is UPF gonna get built?
The National Nuclear Security Administration may issue a draft Request for Proposals by the end of the month for the contract to manage Y-12 and Pantex -- two of the major production facilities in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex. The contract may ultimately include the tritium work that's done at the Savannah River Site. It's a big deal.
One thing that's really unclear at the moment is how the NNSA plans to handle the construction of the Uranium Processing Facility -- the multi-billion-dollar facility that's being planned as the capstone of Y-12 modernization.
Try commuting to ORNL in this
Carl Dukes (in vehicle) and Steven McNeany with Marine Corps 'Grizzly.'
ORNL photo/Ron Walli
I reported late last year that Oak Ridge National Laboratory was getting $25 million from the U.S. Marine Corps for a three-year project to help enhance the capabilities of the mililtary's Light Armored Vehicle. That work is underway and guess what arrived at the Oak Ridge lab a few days back? One of those armored vehicles for the battlefield known as "Grizzly."
In the end, the bad guys won
Students of UT Nuclear Engineering Professor Howard Hall, who holds a Governor's Chair appointment at UT and ORNL, were split into two groups -- good guys (Blue Team) trying to protect a cache of bomb-grade uranium and bad guys (Red Team) trying to steal it and create an atomic nightmare.
The class project culminated with a table-top exercise at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge, and the Red Team won. Yikes. It's a good thing this was hypothetical.
In this scenario, the highly enriched uranium was being stored at UT's Pasqua Hall, the engineering building on the Knoxville campus, by the fictional government of "Elbonia." A terrorist group was coming after it, using such tricks as an induced riot and food poisoning to achieve their goal, ultimately sneaking into the building's core via steam tunnels. Turns out, there was a mole on the Blue Team.
NNSA hosting research gig
On Wednesday, the National Nuclear Security Administration is holding its 2010 Laboratory Directed Research and Development Symposium in Washington, D.C. It's titled, "Reducing the Global Danger of Weapons of Mass Destruction." Here's the agenda.
Chief scientist John Leckey is representing Y-12 at the symposium.
Will West Tennessee arsenal become home to depleted uranium?
There's talk of converting the Milan Army Ammunition Plant to a storehouse for depleted uranium. Here's the report by Ned B. Hunter in the Jackson Sun
Beck looking to return to Oak Ridge?
Dave Beck, deputy principal associate director at Los Alamos, was a visible presence at last week's Oak Ridge meeting of the East Tennessee Economic Council, where Patty Wagner and others discussed the upcoming competition for the big contract that will combine the management of Y-12 and Pantex and possibly inlcude the tritium work at Savannah River. He also was on hand at the recent Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit in Washington, reportedly doing his fair share of schmoozing and then some.
Y-12's pollution plume apparently stable
The underground plume of pollution leaving the east end of the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant was discovered years ago, and there have been a series of responses to control it and begin the remediation process. It's apparently working as intended, according to info from John Owsley, the state's environmental oversight chief in Oak Ridge.
"The monitoring wells indicate the plume is not moving further east," Owsley said.
A really bad hair day
Abby Shuman of Nevils, Ga., gets a kick w/Van de Graaf generator.
ORNL photo
There are fun times to be had at the American Museum of Science & Energy in Oak Ridge, especially when kids start squealing at the freaky results of a static-producing Van de Graaf generator (something almost every East Tennessee schoolkid has experienced during a trip to the museum). But there's more, of course.
Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part VI
In the continuing series of who lives where among federal and contractor executives at the Oak Ridge operations, here's some information on top officials at Bechtel Jacobs Co., the Dept. of Energy's environmental manager in Oak Ridge since 1998.
The City of Oak Ridge has asked DOE in its upcoming contract competition require that officials with Bechtel Jacobs' successor and major subcontractors in the EM program live in the city. It's an issue that's been raised before, so I decided to check out where the existing federal execs and top contractor officials live.
SEB for Y-12/Pantex contract
Here are the members of the NNSA's Source Evaluation Board for Y-12/Pantex combined management contract (that may include the tritium work done at the Savannah River Site):
ORNL gets Eisenhower Award from SBA
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has received a 2010 Eisenhower Award for Excellence from from the Small Business Administration. ORNL received the award in the Research and Development category, according to info relesed by the lab.
In fiscal year 2009, ORNL subcontracted $257 million with small businesses, the lab said.
Climate change and the Armed Forces
"Broadening Horizons: Climate Change and the U.S. Armed Forces" is one of nine reports released by the Center for a New American Security, leading up to the group's fourth annual conference later this week in Washington, D.C.
ETEC seeks 'Muddy Boot' nominees
The East Tennessee Economic Council is seeking nominations for its 2010 awards, which include the Muddy Boot Award and the Postma Young Professional Medal.
Howard to become EPRI CEO
Michael Howard, senior vice president, has been elected the next president and chief executive officer of the Electric Power Research Institute. Howard will assume the position in September when the current CEO Steve Specker retires, according to info distributed by EPRI.
Awards for Oak Ridge security pros
Mary Helen Hitson, leader of the Cyber and Security Program Team at the federal site office at Y-12, and Justen Parker, a Wackenhut executive who manages the Central Training Facility in Oak Ridge, were honored recently with Security Professional of the Year Awards by the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Some good news about nuclear waste
Enormous quantities of radioactive waste and other hazardous materials are being transported from cleanup sites on the Dept. of Energy's Oak Ridge reservation. Much of the waste is moved to disposal sites elsewhere on the federal reservation, and the good news is that most of it never traverses public roads.
Service academy appointments from Oak Ridge
Congressman Zach Wamp announced seven appointments to the nation's service academies, including two from Oak Ridge.
In a statement, he siad, "These students have earned this opportunity by exhibiting strong leadership qualities and excelling inside and outside of the classroom. They will soon begin the rigorous education at our nation's service academies to become officers in the military, bound by the common bond to serve our country with valor. It is an honor to have nominated these patriotic students who are committed to serve our country."
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Lithium borate glass for rad detectors
Pouring lithium borate glass in Oak Ridge research lab
ORNL photo
Oak Ridge reseachers are evaluating different types of lithium borate glasses for a couple of projects, including use in radiation detectors for nonproliferation, defense and homeland security applications. According to Lynn Boatner, a group leader ORNL's Materials Science and Technology Division, the detector project is supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).
Nuke training in Vegas
Folks representing 26 countries, as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency, participated in a late-May "first of its kind" workshop to help improve capabilities to respond to and prevent radiological incidents. The May 17-20 workshop took place in Las Vegas, according to the National Nuclear Security Administration. These countries were represented among the 92 participants:
Checking out American firepower
Y-12 photo
There's nothing like a photo op to facilitate international relations. In the above photogragh, Timofey Tsvetkov of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) checks out a M134D Gatling Gun during a mid-week visit to the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge. According to info distributed by the National Nuclear Security Administration, a Russian delegation -- headed by Yevgeniy Sofyin, ROSATOM's deputy director -- visited Y-12 and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California as part of a trip to share "best practices" in nuclear security.
Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part V
The top two managers at the National Nuclear Security Administration's Y-12 Site Office -- Manager Ted Sherry and his deputy, Kevin Smith -- live in the City of Oak Ridge. The other top members of the leadership team live elsewhere.
Here's the list, as part of the survey of where top federal and contractor executives in Oak Ridge maintain their residences.
Does contract reform mean lost jobs at Y-12?
There were more questions than answers (of substance). And there were about as many comments as there were questions. It was about what you'd expect at an early stage with any big-time government procurement, especially one with as many uncertainties as the upcoming contract thtat will merge the management of Y-12 and Pantex (and possibly inlcude the tritium work at Savannah River)
A big crowd turned out this a.m. for the NNSA's presentation and discussion with community and business leaders. The normal Friday-morning session of the East Tennessee Economic Council was converted into an extended community Q&A on the contract reform effort that's supposed to improve efficiencies at the NNSA production facilities, adopt "best practices" and get rid of redundancies, and save the government about $900M over a 10-year period. Following the hour-long ETEC session, the federal officials stuck around for another hour or so to field more questions.
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Syd Ball to talk about HTGRs
Syd Ball, a member of ORNL's Advanced Reactor Systems and Safety Group, will speak at the June 16 lunch meeting of the Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Ball will talk about high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, their history and their future.
Wartime incentives
The above photograph was taken during the World War II Manhattan Project at the Y-12 plant. The Oak Ridge plant ultimately produced the enriched uranium used in the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, which helped end the bloodiest war in history.
Oak Ridge support for Tenn. Valley Corridor summits included taxpayer money
Much of the money supporting the Tennessee Valley Corridor and the "summits" used by U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., and others to tout the possibilities for regional economic development has come from Oak Ridge and the federal base of operations there.
Some of that money was taxpayer money, including conference sponsorships funded directly by the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge office as well as some contractor commitments.
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Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part IV
Here's more on my survey of where Oak Ridge executives, federal and contractor, currently live. This was prompted, in part, by the recent request by the City of Oak Ridge that the Dept. of Energy require that top execs of the future EM contractor and major subcontractors live in Oak Ridge.
I asked Oak Ridge Associated Universities for a list of their senior management team, and as it turns out none of them currently live in Oak Ridge.
New student reps on DOE advisory board
Two new student members have joined the Department of Energy's Site Specific Advisory Board, which advises the federal agency on environmental issues in Oak Ridge.
The new members are:
Y-12/Pantex contract on center stage at ETEC
Patty Wagner, chair of the Source Evaluation Board for the upcoming competition for the combined Y-12/Pantex management contract, will be in Oak Ridge Friday to speak at the East Tennessee Economic Council morning meeting.
Wagner headed the two-year study of contracting options (referred to in NNSA parlance as the acquisition strategy). She also is the government's Site Manager at Sandia National Laboratories. Other NNSA speakers at ETEC will include Kim Gallegos, the contracting officer, and Ted Sherry, the site manager at Y-12.
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Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part III
I've posted several pieces related to the City of Oak Ridge's request that the Dept. of Energy require that top executives with the next Environmental Management contractor and major subcontractors live in Oak Ridge. Here's another in that series, this one on DOE officials and their place of residence.
Wamp defends Tenn. Valley Corridor, Akins role
Here's the story today on Knoxnews.com by Nashville Bureau Chief Tom Humphrey on U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp and the Tennessee Valley Corridor. Here's a link to the report in The (Nashville) Tennessean.
Oak Ridge cleanup contract to be topic at DOE environmental advisory board's June 9 meeting
The June 9 meeting of the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory board will feature a discussion of the draft Request for Proposals on DOE's upcoming East Tennessee Technology Park Contract (the follow-on to the environmental management contract held by Bechtel Jacobs since 1998). The new contract has a potential value of $2.6 billion.
Jay Mullis, DOE's lead person on the procurement, is scheduled to speak at the SSAB meeting.
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Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part II
The Dept. of Energy and its federal predecessors have had an enormous impact on the City of Oak Ridge over the past six-plus decades -- economically, environmentally and otherwise. Certainly there's been good and bad, and the city has asked for assistance in areas where there's been a negative impact on the economy.
More recently, Oak Ridge officials asked DOE to require that top executives of its new Environmental Management contractor and major subcontractors live in the city -- to help offset the negative image of Oak Ridge as a polluted place. As I've noted in other posts, this is not a new issue. The idea of requiring or encouraging DOE officials and its contractor chieftains to live in Oak Ridge has surfaced on multiple occasions in the past.
As part of that, I'm gathering information on where the current contractors execs and federal officials live. Here is info provided by B&W Y-12, the government's managing contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant.
Trying to keep a new building new
The Research Office Building complex (Bldgs. 5600, 5700 and 5800) isn't old by any stretch of my fertile imagination, having been built just a few years ago as part of the modernization program at ORNL. But I guess it's never too early to spruce things up, repair flaws, and do a little preventive maintenance. That's been taking place recently part of a $174,981 subcontract that MetropPlex Services of Knoxville has with UT-Battelle Development Corp. It might also raise a few questions about the quality of the original work.
Supercomputer center expansion to cost $9.5M
A 63,000-square-foot expansion of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's supercomputing center is being built by Optimech at a total estimated cost of $9.5 million, according to information provided by lab spokesman Billy Stair. The work is to be completed in December.
In the conceptual drawing (above), the new four-story facility is back center, closing in the courtyard of the Research Office Building complex. It will house staff of the Consortium for Advanced Simulations of Light Water Reactors. The ORNL-led team last week won DOE's Nuclear Simulation Hub competition.
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Where do Oak Ridge execs live? Part I
The City of Oak Ridge has asked the Dept. of Energy to require, as part of the next Envrionmental Management contract, that contractor (and major subcontractor) executives live in Oak Ridge. That request, of course, was specific to the cleanup contract and was done specifically because of concerns that Oak Ridge has been harmed by the image of environmental pollution. I've had a couple of blog posts related to that request. Here and here..
The issue, however, isn't new. There have been multiple efforts in the past to encourage or require top DOE and contractor officials to live in Oak Ridge. As such, I'm trying to take a look at where DOE and contractor executives currently live.
Kick the can: Y-12's getting rid of carbon-steel containers used for storing U-235
Since the mid-1990s, the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant has used stainless-steel cans to store stocks of bomb-grade uranium. Before that, however, the Oak Ridge plant used carbon-steel containers, which apparently don't meet long-term storage requirements at the new $549 million Highly Enrichment Uranium Materials Facility (where the U.S. stockpile of weapons-usable uranium is being consolidated).
According to a staff memo at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, there's a 10-year storage limit on the carbon-steel cans, and therefore a campaign will get underway in 2012 to "recontainerize" hundreds of cans of enriched uranium stored in rackable can storage boxes.
"The reason Y-12 is transitioning out of carbon steel containers altogether is that carbon steel deteriorates or corrodes over time," Y-12 spokeswoman Ellen Boatner said in an e-mail response to questions.
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'Wamp weaves tangled web'
The City Paper out of Nasvhille takes a lengthy look at the Tennessee Valley Corridor, Congressman Zach Wamp, PR exec Darrell Akins and his firm (AkinsCrisp Public Strategies), economic development or lack thereof, etc. Here's a link to the story by Ken Whitehouse and Stephen George.
The Dept. of Energy's Oak Ridge operations will test the emergency warning system on Wednesday, a monthly affair to make sure the sirens works as intended.
Sirens will be tested between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., at ORNL, Y-12 and the East Tennessee Technology Park. "People in these areas during the test will hear a siren for three to five minutes," DOE said.