News from September 2023



Biden-Harris Administration Announces $150 Million to Strengthen Domestic Critical Material Supply Chains

Release: Funding from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda will Develop New and Alternative Supplies of Critical Materials to Reduce Our Nation’s Reliance on Foreign Sources


Chairs Rodgers and Duncan Announce Legislative Hearing on Energy Reliability and Efficiency

News Release: Washington, D.C. - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Chair Jeff Duncan (R-SC) today announced a legislative hearing titled “Keeping the Lights On: Enhancing Reliability and Efficiency to Power American Homes."


Combined Notice of Filings discussed on Sept. 5 by Energy Department

The US Energy Department published a two page notice on Sept. 5, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


Biden-Harris Administration Announces $125 Million in Grid Resilience Grants for States and Tribal Nations to Modernize Electric Grid

Release: President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Provides 7th Round of Funding to States and Tribal Entities to Modernize the Electric Grid and Deliver Clean Energy Across America


Good Jobs with Good Pay and Benefits are Key to Building the Clean Energy Future

Release: by Betony Jones, Director, Office of Energy Jobs, U.S. Department of Energy



Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Freezers discussed on Sept. 5 by Energy Department

The US Energy Department published a one page proposed rule on Sept. 5, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.


Manchin Questions Witnesses on Rapid Development of Artificial Intelligence, Energy Department’s Role in Ensuring Security

News Release: Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to examine recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) role in ensuring U.S. competitiveness and security in emerging technologies. During the hearing, Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) discussed the DOE’s expansive role in research and development of AI and supercomputing, competition with China and the risks posed by the rapid growth of AI.


Four Trails to Explore Today on National Trail Mix Day, or Any Day

News Release: An often-overlooked observance is National Trail Mix Day. We think what’s lost in the honoring of the nuts and dried-fruit medley is the purpose of the ready-to-carry treat: taking it with you when you go for a walk or a long hike on trails. The Department of Energy’s Office of Legacy Management has dozens of trails among its sites across the country. That’s a lot of ground to cover, so we’ve narrowed down a list of four that vary in skill level, length, and scenery.


Portsmouth Site Reaches X-326 Process Building Demolition Debris Milestone

News Release: PIKE COUNTY, Ohio - EM’s Portsmouth Site recently achieved a cleanup milestone with the last load of X-326 Process Building debris placed in the On-Site Waste Disposal Facility (OSWDF).


Accomplished Researcher Receives Top Honor From EM National Lab

News Release: AIKEN, S.C. - A researcher with EM’s Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has earned the honor of laboratory fellow - the highest scientific and engineering achievement within the laboratory - for her outstanding contributions to her area of expertise, SRNL and the nation.


Energy Department’s Office of Electricity Appoints Permanent Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

News Release: WASHINGTON D.C. -The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) today announced the permanent appointment of Gilbert (Gil) Bindewald III as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, elevating him from acting status. The appointment is effective immediately.


How it Works: CESER’s New Energy Security and Resilience Learning Series

News Release: Energy is essential to our daily lives and economy, but how does fuel move through pipelines and how is the demand for electric power met? Many of the concepts, processes, and technologies that make up the energy sector are complex and technical, making them difficult to understand or explain.


EM Delegation Travels To Japan To Engage in Information Exchange

News Release: JAPAN - Senior Advisor William “Ike" White and others with an EM delegation traveled to Japan to attend the 7th International Forum on the Decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) this week to engage with experts from Japan and other countries.


SRS Achieves Savings After Changing Approach to Deactivating Facilities

News Release: AIKEN, S.C. - Contractor employees supporting the EM program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently reevaluated deactivation plans for legacy facilities in the site’s F Area, prompting a change in direction resulting in significant cost savings.


District Update: E&C Republicans are Championing Solutions to Lower Health Care Costs and Improve People’s Lives

News Release: House Republicans are fulfilling our Commitment to America as we lead on health care solutions to improve people’s lives. These policies will increase price transparency throughout the health care system, lower the cost of prescription drugs, bolster treatment and prevention programs for substance use disorders, and take care of mothers and infants.


DOE Announces $30 Million for Technologies that Create Valuable Products from Otherwise Wasted Natural Gas While Reducing Methane Emissions from Flaring

News Release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced up to $30 million for the development of advanced technologies to reduce or eliminate the need for natural gas flaring at oil production sites, a known source of methane emissions...


DOE Announces $6.4 Million for University Research to Improve Hydrogen Turbine Performance

News Release: WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced $6.4 million for university-based research and development projects that will develop advanced materials and components to improve the performance of hydrogen-fueled turbines.


Hanford Workers Upgrade Aging Facility to Support Capsule Transfer Project

News Release: RICHLAND, Wash. - Workers with EM Richland Operations Office contractor Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) recently finished extensive modifications at the Hanford Site’s Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF), a significant step in preparations to move 1,936 radioactive capsules of cesium and strontium from the facility’s water-filled basin into dry storage casks starting in 2025.