The NSSAB is comprised of volunteer members who review and comment on environmental restoration and waste activities at the NNSS. The members bring a variety of perspectives to the Board on issues of significant concern to the region. Rural interests, environmental concerns, and local government viewpoints are discussed and considered by the Board before making recommendations to the DOE EM Nevada Program.
Interested in joining?The NSSAB is currentlyrecruiting new membersto represent Amargosa Valley, Goldfield, and Tonopah, Nevada; and Tecopa and Shoshone, California. Applications are being accepted through March 31, 2018. To download an application or to learn more about the NSSAB, visitwww.nnss.gov/NSSABand/or attend the March 14, 2018, meeting in Las Vegas.
The Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board (NSSAB) recently approved a plan for its members to gather information from fellow community residents regarding their level of interest and/or any concerns about U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program activities.
Six NSSAB members, a student intern with the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and the liaison representing the Consolidated Group of Tribes and Organizations formed the Community Analysis Committee to develop the plan for pulsing more than a dozen communities located near the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). The approach involves meeting one-on-one with individuals, discussing questions, requesting completion of a survey, and compiling the results of their efforts.
Both the NSSAB and the EM Nevada Program hope the results of the work plan will identify new ideas that the EM Nevada Program can implement to enhance its outreach program. “We’re excited that the NSSAB chose this work plan and believe their efforts will help us better understand the level of interest communities have in our program,” said Kelly Snyder, strategic communications manager for DOE’s EM Nevada Program. “For more than 20 years, our outreach has evolved to expand the availability of information through the use of technology, and now we are looking to the NSSAB to help us focus our efforts based on feedback from multiple communities.”
Steve Rosenbaum, chair of the advisory board, commended Community Analysis Committee members at the January 2018 meeting for their extensive efforts to assemble the very detailed plan, “the product put together is quite impressive!” Following an overview briefing onthe planby Committee Chair Richard Stephans, the NSSAB discussed implementation of the plan and voted unanimously to move forward upon DOE EM Nevada Program approval.
In February, the EM Nevada Program approved the plan and Community Analysis Committee members are now working to schedule one-on-one interviews with key community leaders and residents in Beatty, Pahrump, Goldfield, Boulder City, Mesquite, Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas. In addition, committee members will be reaching out to students and staff at UNLV, and tribal members from the 16 American Indian tribes that form the Consolidated Group of Tribes and Organizations.
The NSSAB anticipates that the information gathering process and survey will continue into May. Completion of their analysis and a recommendation to the EM Nevada Program is planned for submittal in July.
If you’re interested in having your perspectives included in the NSSAB’s assessment, please contact the NSSAB office at 702-630-0522 or by emailingnssab@nnsa.doe.gov.