After acting as the Department of Energy’s top remediation boss at the Savannah River Site since February, longtime DOE hand Edwin Deshong, III was promoted June 1 to head of the Environmental Management field office.
DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) announced Tuesday Deshong is getting the Savannah River field office job permanently.
Deshong, who has had a 33-year career at DOE, had been deputy manager since December 2022. Deshong then stepped into EM’s top role at Savannah River on an acting basis after longtime field office manager Mike Budney left DOE. Budney left the department in connection with President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce.
While deputy manager at Savannah River, Deshong played a central role in the Oct. 1, 2024 handover of EM’s landlord duties at the site to the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to an EM press release.
Deshong holds degrees from South Carolina State University and the University of Maryland. According to the release, his prior DOE posts include chief engineer for the Savannah River Operations Office and assistant manager for programs and senior facility representative for the NNSA at Savannah River.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead the Savannah River Operations Office at this important time when SRS is achieving real progress, including accelerating the liquid waste mission and achieving significant milestones empowering our community.” Deshong said in the release.
