Creating a sustainable economic future for the region.
In order to maintain and build trust with any organization, it is important to have open and honest communication. One way the Department of Energy (DOE) provides a window into the progress taking place at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant is through open houses. These events allow the public to talk one-on-one with representatives from DOE, as well as the contractors at the site and various community organizations supporting the ongoing progress.
On Aug. 29 and 31, community members had two opportunities to attend open house sessions in Scioto and Pike counties. Community members walked through the various stations, containing photographs and information and spoke with individuals from the site, the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative, the Site Specific Advisory Board, Ohio University, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and Dr. Kathryn Higley, Ph.D., an expert in radiological health sciences at Oregon State University.
“This is a great way for the community to carry on conversations with our subject matter experts at a more personal level,” said DOE Portsmouth Site Lead Jeremy Davis. “The information is broken down by all the different clean-up tasks taking place at the site, as well as providing information from our partners on environmental management and future use at the site.”
Davis said the event is a great way for individuals to ask questions and learn about what is next for the site.
“It is very important that the community knows what comes next,” he explained. “They can drive past Perimeter Road and see the buildings coming down, but there are always the questions of what will be the end state of the site making it available for future re-industrialization. That’s why we have these open conversations, to help answer questions from our community and stakeholders.”
More than two dozen community members spent time with subject matter experts during Tuesday’s event and nearly 60 attended the event in Pike County. The event is free and open to the public and is offered twice a year. The site also offers other opportunities for the community to learn more at our public tours of the site, conducted monthly from April to October, and online at www.portsdemo.com.