PIKETON, OH - The demolition of the X-326 Process Building at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a sprawling Cold War relic in Piketon, Ohio, is turning into a case study of bureaucratic oversight and environmental anxiety. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised pointed questions about the Department of Energy’s (DOE) At- and Below-Grade Demolition Design Plan, highlighting potential risks to public safety and the environment in the project to dismantle this once-massive uranium enrichment facility.
From radiological sampling to chemical contamination, Ohio EPA’s comments zero in on critical areas where the DOE’s plan might not go far enough—or worse, might be cutting corners.
Radiation Safety: Missing the Gold Standard?
The DOE’s demolition plan promises rigorous radiological confirmatory testing. But Ohio EPA wants specifics: will the statistical tests prescribed by MARSSIM (the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual) be used? If not, what alternative methods are being deployed? The DOE’s silence on this point has triggered unease. If MARSSIM isn’t followed, it could undermine confidence in the safety of the cleanup.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and a Blind Spot
TCE, a toxic solvent used in cooling uranium hexafluoride gas during enrichment, has long haunted the site. DOE’s own studies confirm the presence of TCE in vapor spaces under the X-326 building. But here’s the kicker: the demolition plan focuses solely on TCE, ignoring its degradation compounds like vinyl chloride, which are often more hazardous. The EPA wants these chemicals added to the soil sampling strategy, raising the question—why weren’t they included in the first place?
Why Move Backward on Air Monitoring?
The demolition plan calls for quarterly analysis of radiological air samples for transuranics (TRU)—elements like plutonium that linger ominously in the environment. The problem? Air sampling has been conducted monthly until now. Ohio EPA isn’t buying the shift, demanding an explanation for reducing the frequency. With radioactive materials, less frequent monitoring could spell trouble.
Tunnels: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
Some of the building’s underground tunnels extend beyond the bermed containment area meant to manage contaminated water and waste. While the demolition plan focuses on areas within the berm, the EPA wants to know how these “north-south tunnels” will be safely excavated without spreading contamination outside the site. The DOE’s lack of detailed sampling or remediation plans for these sections raises concerns about whether contamination could leak into the surrounding environment.
A Typo That Tells a Bigger Story
One of Ohio EPA’s comments calls out a seemingly small typo in the demolition plan: the wrong citation for a critical rule in the Ohio Administrative Code. While this might seem minor, it hints at a larger issue—how carefully was this plan reviewed before submission? In a project with such high stakes, even the little details matter.
What’s Really Going On Here?
The X-326 building, which once enriched uranium for both weapons and nuclear power, is more than just a historical artifact. It’s also a Pandora’s box of toxic waste, from TCE in the soil to potential radiological contamination. The EPA’s critique of the demolition plan suggests a larger tension between the DOE’s push to move forward quickly and the need for stringent oversight to protect both workers and the community.
For Piketon residents, many of whom have long lived in the shadow of this site, the stakes are personal. As the DOE pushes ahead with its demolition plans, Ohio EPA’s role as a watchdog has never been more critical.
The DOE has yet to publicly respond to the EPA’s concerns. But for a project that involves dismantling one of the nation’s most contaminated industrial sites, these questions demand answers—and fast. Otherwise, what lies beneath the surface of the X-326 building might become more than just a legacy of the past. It could be a hazard for the community now.
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My heart breaks for all of the construction workers that are being lied to about what they're being exposed to. The bad thing is that a large majority of them believe what they are being told!