PIKETON, OH - A decades-old “Fiat-Allis” dozer, long abandoned in the woods at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Portsmouth Site, has been removed in a move that is drawing renewed attention—and criticism—of past cleanup and disposal practices at the former nuclear facility.
The massive machine, weighing over 50 tons, was originally purchased in the 1990s to help construct a sanitary landfill at the site. But after breaking down due to mechanical and electrical failures, it was left in the surrounding forest, where it remained until recently. Over the years, trees and vegetation engulfed the dozer, making it a symbol of the site’s industrial legacy and, to some, its history of neglect.
Though touted as a cleanup success by site contractors, the removal of the Fiat-Allis has added fuel to long-standing scrutiny of the site's cleanup efforts. Critics note that the current On-Site Waste Disposal Facility (OSWDF), where the downsized dozer is set to be buried, is emblematic of unresolved concerns over how contaminated materials are managed in Piketon.
In 2023, several gallons of contaminated leachate were spilled leading to additional remediation work. In August 2024, there was a fire at the dump. A welder inadvertently set a disposal cell liner on fire. Recent reports from the Department of Energy have also highlighted the ongoing issues with burrowing animals at the waste cells.
During its operational years, radioactively contaminated equipment—was often sold at public auctions, sent to local scrap yards, or abandoned without proper oversight. Such actions caused another stream of radioactive material to enter the surrounding community
The Fiat-Allis was dismantled after trees and briars were cleared to create a road for its removal. Its final destination at the OSWDF raises alarms for local residents and environmental groups, who argue that burying hazardous materials on-site drastically increases the contamination risks to groundwater and public health for generations to come.
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Don’t forget to add that radioactive contaminated equipment was also given away to workers and given/sold to local community members as well! Not to mention all of the times the stuff was taken off sight and buried on local, community properties! Two of the many locations being on Wakefield Mound Road and Gold Dust Rd!