The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said last week it successfully transferred 1.7 metric tons of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) from Japan to the United States, reportedly the largest international transfer in the agency’s history.
NNSA teamed up with Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, according to the press release.
“This milestone accelerates our progress towards a secure and independent energy future, while reaffirming our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation,” Matthew Napoli, NNSA’s deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation, said in the press release. “Through this partnership with Japan, we are fueling the next generation of nuclear power, and solidifying America’s energy dominance.” HALEU is uranium enriched between 5% and 20%, usually for civilian purposes and for powering advanced reactors. President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security calls for accelerating deployment of HALEU for the domestic nuclear industry, the release called out.
Keith Wood, vice president of marketing and communications for Amentum’s Energy and Environment business, plans to retire in July.
Wood, who has spent 37 years with Amentum and its predecessor companies, will retire effective July 3, according to an Amentum staff email from Amentum Energy & Environment President Mark Whitney.
Wood has earned much “respect and gratitude from colleagues and industry peers alike” and “has been a great partner and advisor,” Whitney said in the email, viewed by Exchange Monitor. “As we prepare for Keith’s retirement, we are thrilled to announce that Rob Roxburgh will assume the role of vice president of marketing and communications for the E&E Group,” Whitney went on to say. “Rob will officially begin transitioning into his new position on June 8, working closely with Keith to ensure a seamless handoff of responsibilities and strategic priorities.” Roxburgh is currently communications director for the Amentum led Central Plateau Cleanup Company, which does environmental remediation at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Washington state. He has more than 20 years in corporate communications. Earlier in his career, Roxburgh was a television news anchor and reporter.
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) has unveiled a new public website that should be easier to use.
“This update is part of a broader effort to improve transparency and accessibility for Congress, stakeholders, and the public—and to make it easier to quickly find our work, understand current issues, and navigate key materials across the agency,” a DNFSB spokesperson said in a Thursday May 7 email to Exchange Monitor.
Recent reports added to the website include DNFSB’s 36th Annual Report to Congress and a mid-cycle report on Department of Energy deliverables to the safety board.
DNFSB is a small agency, headed by a panel of presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate, to provide independent oversight of DOE defense nuclear facilities. While the board lacks actual regulatory teeth, the secretary of energy is required to respond in writing to DNFSB recommendations. The Donald Trump White House has proposed raising DNFSB’s fiscal 2027 budget to $45 million, which would be more than the $42 million enacted by Congress for fiscal 2026.
The Department of Energy’s nuclear cleanup branch said Friday May 8 it is awarding a $5-million non-competitive grant to the Savannah River Site (SRS) Community Reuse Organization in North Augusta, S.C.
The grant from DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM), spread over five years, is for the Workforce Opportunities in Regional Careers program, DOE said in a Friday May 8 press release. The effort is designed to help local colleges and universities develop a talent pool for the Savannah River Site or other installations.
The workforce development grant benefits not only EM but also DOE’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), EM said in the press release.
The SRS Community Reuse Organization is a non-profit group dedicated to furthering the economic interest of South Carolina and Georgia communities around the Savannah River Site. The organization has received similar grants in the past.
The federal government and its contractors employ around 13,000 people at SRS in Aiken, S.C., which often needs new workers. The 5-year grant started May 9.
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management is inviting interested residents of several East Tennessee counties to apply for openings on the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board.
The DOE-sanctioned advisory board provides the Office of Environmental Management (EM) with advice and recommendations on cleanup of the DOE’s Oak Ridge Site, the department said in a Monday press release.
Terms are for two years and people can serve a maximum of six years. The advisory board is a volunteer organization, the Oak Ridge DOE office said in the release. Technical expertise is not required and no compensation is offered. Candidates should be U.S. citizens aged 18 or older who live in Tennessee’s Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Meigs, Morgan, Roane or Union counties. The deadline for submitting applications is May 25. Information can be submitted on the board’s website at www.energy.gov/orssab, by email to orssab@orem.doe.gov.