Building on the groundwork laid in 2025, the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and its contractors are set to achieve significant progress in 2026. Their projects are removing risks, supporting the U.S. Department of Energy’s modernization efforts to advance important national missions and providing land for Oak Ridge to serve as a hub for nuclear energy technology and innovation.

Crews removed 64 million pounds of waste from Oak Ridge’s cleanup sites in 2025, a tally showcasing the pace and progress of projects clearing away old infrastructure and preparing numerous buildings for demolition. “This remarkable number puts the scale of our work in perspective,” Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) Deputy Manager Teresa Robbins said. “It also highlights how much of our progress is often unseen but is equally important to mission success.

A technology that features a remote sensing method using laser pulses to measure distances and create high-resolution 3D models is making a big impact for teams tasked with preparing Manhattan Project and Cold War era facilities for demolition at Oak Ridge. The light detection and ranging technology is reducing the number of entries team members need to make inside contaminated facilities.

Jim Blankenhorn has been selected as the new president and chief executive officer of UCOR, effective April 1, 2026. He replaces Ken Rueter, who is retiring on March 30, 2026, after a long, distinguished career in the nuclear industry. Rueter’s retirement was announced in November. Blankenhorn is currently senior vice president of Amentum’s Energy & Environment North America business line and has more than 38 years of experience leading major projects and programs across the nuclear industry.