Company Profile
Enviromental Surveillance, Education, and Research Program
Company Overview
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site is located in Southeastern Idaho. INL was established in 1949 as the National Reactor Testing Station with the objective of furthering the development of nuclear reactors. Today the INL, which is administered by the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office, is a leading center for nuclear safety research, defense programs, nuclear waste technology and advanced energy concepts.
In 1975 the mostly pristine land within the INL’s borders became the nation’s second National Environmental Research Park (NERP). All lands within the Park are protected and preserved as an ecological field laboratory where scientists from government agencies, universities, and private foundations may set up long-term experiments which answer questions about man’s impact on the natural environment. The INL Idaho NERP covers 890 square miles on the upper Snake River Plain.
ESER team members conduct ecological and radioecological research and environmental surveillance in this unique setting. The team will study the impacts of natural phenomena, including fire and drought. Staff will also continue vegetation and wildlife surveys within the NERP’s boundaries.
Company History
In April 2016, Wastren Advantage, Inc. (WAI) assumed operation of the Environmental Surveillance, Education and Research Program which includes the INL Offsite Environmental Surveillance Program. In December 2017, WAI was acquired by Veolia Nuclear Solutions-Federal Services (VNSFS).
The ESER Program operates consistently within the requirements of DOE Order 450.1 to satisfy the following program objectives:
To verify compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations and with commitments made in official DOE documents.
To characterize and define trends in physical, chemical and biological condition of environmental media in the INL vicinity.
To assess the potential radiation dose to members of the public from INL effluents.
Services provided by the ESER Program include:
INL offsite surveillance, including sample collection and analysis of air, precipitation, soil, milk, wheat, lettuce, potatoes, and tissue samples (domestic and wildlife) for radionuclides.
Wildlife habitat and vegetation surveys, studies and research on and near INL.
Sitewide research concerning endangered species, pollutants in the environment and revegetation.
Ecological, radioecological and innovative research within the INL's boundaries.
Environmental education concerning ecological issues around the INL.
Conservation Management Planning to assist the Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office federal staff in understanding the INL ecosystem in order to enhance federal decision-making and to more properly direct future work performed by the INL contractors.
Notable Clients
DOE (Department of Energy)