TDEC officials outline cleanup priorities at Oak Ridge reservation; groundwater, landfill and soil work highlighted

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation officials on Monday briefed the Oak Ridge City Council on cleanup priorities at the Oak Ridge Reservation under the Federal Facilities Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Dana Casey, DOE oversight advisor to the Bureau of Environment at TDEC, said the state office on Emery Valley Road “serves as the representatives for the FFA for the state and work[s] solely to clean up to help oversee clean up on [the] reservation.”

Why it matters: The reservation cleanup affects property reuse, economic development and long‑term environmental risk for Oak Ridge and surrounding counties. TDEC described near‑term priorities and some of the technical and scheduling challenges that could affect redevelopment plans and public expectations.

Casey and Randy Young, project manager in TDEC’s Oak Ridge Federal Facilities Agreement field office, said recent interim records of decision (IRODs) have moved groundwater cleanup forward at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) and that land transfer reviews and covenant deferrals remain important steps to allow redevelopment. "Right now, the big one that we're working on right now is SSP 2, that clean parcel determination," Young said, adding that TDEC reviews and provides comments although final approval lies with DOE and EPA.

TDEC staff said work is shifting to address soils at Y‑12 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) now that large building demolition (D&D) at some sites is complete. "They want to tear down the buildings, and they have a critical mission. So we want to make sure that the soil is cleaned up appropriately so that they can redevelop and that we don't have to come back and return to clean up those soils again," Casey said.

Officials highlighted several program areas: - ETTP: continuing groundwater work after two RODs and ongoing coordination on land‑transfer paperwork and deed restriction information for prospective landowners; SSP‑2 clean parcel reviews are in progress. - Y‑12 and ORNL: emphasis on soil remediation as buildings come down, and plans to expedite remediation of Bear Creek Valley burial grounds to support continued demolition and D&D operations. TDEC also noted design and construction plans for a new disposal facility (EMDF) to replace or supplement the existing EMWMF landfill, which the department said is approaching capacity.

Council members and other speakers pressed TDEC on limits of past IRODs and the potential for interim cleanup standards to leave deeper or long‑term contamination in place. One council member asked why some cleanup proposals described working only to 2 feet of soil depth; an audience member worried such shallow measures would miss deeper contamination. "That doesn't address the larger issue of what's down 2 and a half feet and 20 feet and 30 feet," the speaker said.

TDEC staff acknowledged that earlier interim decisions were negotiated decades ago when sites were expected to have industrial land uses. They said the three parties have agreed to interim goals but continue to discuss removal actions or other approaches to go "above and beyond" those IRODs in places where redevelopment or exposures create additional concern.

TDEC also described its environmental monitoring program and said the department’s sampling across the reservation — surface water, air and sediment among other media — is publicly reported in its annual environmental monitoring report. "For the most part, we're not finding anything that says ... there's a concern or a threat to the public," Casey said.

Council members emphasized the city's limited formal role inside the reservation and urged continued trilateral coordination among DOE, EPA and the state. Casey and TDEC staff encouraged the public to contact the office for more information and noted that changes at DOE and EPA because of administrative transitions have affected submittals and schedule in some cases.

Looking ahead: TDEC said project teams and sub‑working groups remain active, with sampling, document review and milestone tracking continuing. Staff asked the public and city leaders to remain engaged as review of the SSP‑2 parcel and other cleanup decisions proceed.

Ending: City and TDEC officials said they will continue routine technical engagement and public reporting; councilors asked staff to keep pressing for cleanup approaches that reduce long‑term sources that could affect groundwater and redevelopment.