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David Huizenga Named Acting Assistant Secretary for DOE-EM
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David G. Huizenga
U.S. Department of Energy |
President Obama designated David G. Huizenga as the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Environmental Management (EM), effective July 20, 2011. Huizenga comes to EM from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), where he served as Principal Assistant Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation.
In announcing Huizenga's appointment, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, "Dave has over 25 years of leadership, management, and technical experience in a wide variety of programs across the Department. After starting his career as a research engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory at the Hanford site in 1985, Dave spent a decade working at headquarters in the Office of Environmental Management, ultimately serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary. He was instrumental in establishing complex wide waste management and nuclear materials disposition strategies, which were used to accelerate closure of the Rocky Flats Plant and the removal of special nuclear materials from Hanford and other sites."
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Fire Truck Donation
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In the picture from left to right: Rick McLeod, Danny Black, Anne Rice, Bill Robinson |
The recent purchase of new fire engines at Savannah River Site resulted in the availability of two excess fire trucks under the SRS Community Reuse Organization's (SRSCRO) Asset Transition Program. Based upon the most demonstrated need per the information supplied to the SRSCRO, the Allendale County Fire & Rescue was selected to receive one of these trucks. The requested property will be an addition to the existing fleet and would serve multiple substations being established in the outer limits of the county.
The primary goal of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Asset Transition Program is to utilize excess personal property derived from the Savannah River Site to enhance economic development and job opportunities within a five-county region surrounding the Site. In addition to job creation, assets may also be used to improve the "quality of life" of area residents.
"This is the type of quality of life service we like to provide," David Jameson, Chair of the SRS Community Reuse Organization, said. "In this case, residents in a whole county may benefit not only from the use of the fire truck in emergency situations but also receive lower insurance premiums."
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Nuclear Workforce Spotlight
 An entire session of the American Nuclear Society Utility Working Conference was focused on the unique nuclear workforce development activities underway in the greater CSRA. Southern Company, SCANA, Aiken Technical College, Augusta Technical College and the SRSCRO Nuclear Workforce Initiative collectively presented the region's approach for a sustainable nuclear workforce involving multiple utilities and the Savannah River Site.
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L to R: Mr. Rushton, Ms. Robinson, Ms. Mets, Dr. Winsor, Dr. Pierner, and Mr. Mcfarland. |
A highlight of the August 16 session involved a panel discussion of educator and employer perspectives on the challenges and solutions to nuclear workforce development. Participants included: Paul Rushton, Commercial Operations Readiness Director for Southern Company; Scott Macfarland, Manager of Workforce Planning for SCANA Corporation; Jo Anne Robinson, Dean of Information and Engineering Technology at Augusta Technical College; Susan Winsor, Aiken Technical College President and SRSCRO NWI Task Force Chair; Tracy Pierner, Dean of Technical Education at Aiken Technical College; Mindy Mets, NWI Program Manager and Vince Gilbert, EXCEL Services Corporation.
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Blue Ribbon Commission Interim Report
 On July 29, 2011, the Blue Ribbon Commission-Energy Secretary Steven Chu's 15-member panel assigned to recommend a new plan for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle-released a draft report for public comment. The public comment period is due to end Oct. 31, 2011, and a final report is due to Secretary Chu before Jan. 29, 2012.
The 192-page document is available at http://brc.gov/index.php?q=announcement/brc-releases-their-draft-full-commission-report. A "new integrated strategy" is needed, it says, including a "new approach to siting nuclear waste storage and disposal facilities." The Blue Ribbon Commission will accept public comments on the draft report through Oct. 31. Comments may be submitted through the Commission web site at http://www.brc.gov/.
Currently, four one-day meetings (http://brc.gov/index.php?q=announcement/brc-announces-its-public-meetings-input-draft-report) are being planned to present the draft BRC report and to hear feedback from state, local and tribal perspectives as well as from interested members of the public. The meetings will begin with a briefing from Commission staff on the draft report, followed by comments from elected and appointed state and regional representatives. The latter portion of the meeting will be devoted to a facilitated and interactive breakout opportunity for all who attend, and will conclude with a public comment period.
The closest meeting to the CSRA is scheduled for October 18, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. BRC expects to be updating this information soon and will post agendas at least one week prior to each meeting.
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SRSCRO Spotlight | |
SRSCRO
Board Member
Troy Post
Executive Director of Development Authority of
Columbia County
Troy Post, CEcD, currently serves as the executive director of the Development Authority of Columbia County, GA. As director, he is responsible for the promotion and development of two industrial parks in Columbia County, and for the management of special incentive/business creation programs in the county. He also serves as chairman of the 13-county CSRA Unified Development Authority.
From 1987 until 2008, he managed the Bessemer Industrial Development Board in Bessemer, Alabama. During his tenure there, Troy helped to capitalize a downtown redevelopment organization, establish a business incubation program, and create new industrial park space. He also managed a revolving loan portfolio and industrial property holdings valued at over $24 million. He has been recognized for his economic development efforts in Alabama with a Certificate of National Merit from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and an economic development "best practices" award from the Tennessee Valley Authority. He has been presented as well with several historic preservation awards from local and regional groups in Alabama. Troy has been a certified economic developer since 1998.
Troy received his undergraduate degree in political science/economics from Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama and a Masters degree in public administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. In 1996, he graduated from the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute. He is a member of the International Economic Development Council, the Southern Economic Development Council, and the Georgia Economic Developer's Association.
Active in Scouting and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Troy is married to the former Catherine Campbell of Tampa, FL. They have one son, Taylor, who is twelve years old. In 2011, he published his first work of fiction, The Teller of Burnham Bank.
Troy has been a SRSCRO Board member since 2009. He is serving in the SRSCRO Yucca Mountain Task Force, Regional Funding Plan Task Force, and Land Use/Energy Park Task Force. |
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