Oak Ridge, State Sign $42 Million Pact to Restore Natural Resources

Agreement funds local natural resources and recreation projects

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) signed a $42 million agreement last week to complete work intended to restore natural resources from the impacts of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) historic operations on the Oak Ridge Reservation.

The agreement to carry out the Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration process aims to restore natural resources and replace natural resource services equivalent to what was lost. DOE's sites on the Oak Ridge Reservation date back to the Manhattan Project in the early 1940s, and contamination occurred over the years that impacted natural resources in the region.

A trustee council comprised of representatives from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tennessee Valley Authority and OREM evaluated how natural resources were injured and developed a restoration and compensation plan.

All funds from the $42 million agreement will be deposited into an account held by the State of Tennessee to provide grants for a wide range of local projects that either enhance the area's natural resources or provide nature and recreational opportunities.

"This is one of the most notable days in our office's history," OREM Manager Jay Mullis said. "Through this agreement, DOE is accounting for past impacts and creating many new opportunities to enhance how residents can enjoy this beautiful region."

Local projects eligible for grants must be in one of five categories: habitat creation, habitat restoration or enhancement, habitat preservation, groundwater, or recreation.

Grant applications do not require a minimum value and can go as high as millions of dollars for projects in the Oak Ridge area.

"TDEC is pleased to see this agreement finalized and we eagerly anticipate projects that will support these local communities," TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. "This funding will protect the natural resources in the area as well as go towards outdoor recreational opportunities for Tennesseans, creating a more balanced and healthy environment for all."

Examples of applicable projects include clearing away abandoned parking lots to plant native vegetation, removing invasive species, land conservation, installing streets and parking lots with permeable pavements to improve rainwater infiltration, and septic conversions.

Projects also can improve public use of natural resources, such as building or improving boat launches and fishing piers, purchasing and restoring land with public access to water, and creating public hiking and biking trails or wildlife viewing areas.

In an earlier phase, the trustees focused on DOE's impacts to resources in Watts Bar Reservoir, located on the Tennessee River in east Tennessee. In 2009, they determined the terms of an agreement that entailed DOE establishing a 3,000-acre conservation easement and funding projects to improve recreational fishing access and opportunities.

This current second phase focuses on the balance of the Oak Ridge Reservation.

-Contributor: Ben Williams

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