A CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. project director has been selected as the new manager for the Office of River Protection at the Energy Department’s Hanford Site in Washington state. Brian Vance takes over from Kevin Smith, who retired at the end of September.
The Office of River Protection is responsible for management of 56 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous chemical waste held in underground tanks at Hanford and the Waste Treatment Plant being built to vitrify much of the tank waste for permanent disposal.
Vance will start work for DOE on Nov. 6. He currently leads the CH2M team working on the remotely handled equipment for the highly radioactive spill beneath the Hanford 324 Building, including installing the equipment in a mockup facility for testing and training on the tools.
“I know he will be able to leverage his skills and expertise to assist ORP in maintaining the strong momentum now underway to address the Hanford tank waste mission and continue making progress on the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant,” said Jim Owendoff, acting assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management.
Vance joined CH2M at Hanford in June 2016 after about three decades of leadership experience in nuclear-related work. He was a Navy submarine officer for 25 years, and worked on projects from initial concept through sustainment, according to DOE. More recently he was a product development director for Westinghouse Electric Co. from 2013 to 2016 and a principal project manager for AREVA NP from 2009 to 2013. Vance said in a statement he was honored and excited to lead DOE’s work on “one of the largest environmental challenges at Hanford – radioactive tank waste.”
Ben Harp, who has been serving as acting manager of the Office of River Protection, will resume his position as ORP deputy manager.