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| The U.S. Department of
Energy's Office of Science and Technology is
proposing in its fiscal year 1998 budget to spend $50
million on a Technology Deployment Initiative to help DOE sites deploy cleanup
technologies. Through the initiative, OST will be helping
DOE sites achieve the benefits of an accelerated cleanup
as mandated by the Office
of Environmental Management's Ten-Year Plan. Managing
the new program are Julie Conner from DOE's Idaho
Operations Office and Jef Walker from EM headquarters in
Washington, D.C. Susan Prestwich, a member of the TDI team at the Idaho Operations Office in Idaho Falls, described the initiative as the next step for the Office of Science and Technology. Prestwich said, "OST has about 1,000 technologies that we have tracked over the last seven years that are ready for what we call deployment or implementation. These technologies have gone through the demonstration phase and can now be used to help clean up our complex." OST considers the $50 million that it's budgeting for TDI as seed money to provide incentives for sites to participate in technology deployments. OST encourages sites to contribute some of their own funds to maximize results. Prestwich explained, "OST is encouraging sites to cost share with us to extend and leverage that $50 million so we can get more done." OST began the program by calling for proposals from DOE sites. Sites were instructed to propose technologies for which demonstrations have shown improved cost and performance over baseline technologies. The Army Corps of Engineers will help validate cost savings for technologies deployed under TDI. OST can provide sites a list of mature technologies OST considers candidates for site deployment, although sites are free to propose any technology or innovative process that meets the criteria defined in the call for proposals. One of the goals of TDI is multiple-site deployments of technologies. Prestwich discussed how the call to sites was structured to foster the use of technologies at more than one site. "We're asking for proposal response from a lead field office, which will be the primary implementation site. The lead field office may also choose to partner with other field offices that also are committed to using the technology." It is expected that OST's focus areas will play a role by helping sites gain an understanding of where similar problems exist. TDI also provides for private-sector participation. Prestwich said, "We also expect the partnering sites to bring in the commercial partner, or technology provider. We're looking at it as a collaboration, a consortium, or partnership between the lead field office, the other deploying field offices, and the private-sector technology holder." Proposals will also address stakeholder and regulatory approval processes. OST issued its call for proposals on March 7. Proposals are due May 12. After selecting proposals, OST plans to initiate deployment projects in October. The call and more information on TDI are on the TDI homepage at http://wastenot.inel.gov/tdi. |
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