Federal and contractor representatives involved with the activities of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM), as well as its local program office in Nevada, participated in this year’s RadWaste Summit. RadWaste Summit is a forum for leaders in the nuclear cleanup industry to discuss challenges and solutions to the management and disposition of radioactive waste, as well as an opportunity to reach some of the most influential government officials and organizations.
The opening keynote address was delivered by Jay Mullis, EM’s Acting Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs. Mullis provided updates on the EM mission, its successful cleanup efforts, national security priorities, and commitment to supporting communities most impacted by the environmental legacy of the past.
Jesse Sleezer, Deputy Program Integration Manager for Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., who provides public affairs support for the EM Nevada Program, participated on a panel discussing EM community relations at the summit. Sleezer joined moderator Corhyn Parr, Chief Executive Officer at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and panelists Stephan Tetreault, EM Strategic Communications Specialist, and Keith Wood, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Amentum’s Nuclear & Environment Strategic Business Unit (SBU). The panel discussed current challenges, opportunities, and best practices in public involvement from the federal, contractor, and stakeholder points of view.
In tandem with the Summit, communications professionals from across the EM complex gathered at EM Nevada Program’s offices to discuss a variety of topics, including social media strategy, public meetings, media engagement, and communicating in plain language. Many of those in attendance also took part in a full-day observation of work at the NNSS the next day.
You can learn more about the summit here. To learn more about EM Nevada Program activities, please visit the Program’s website.