Executive Summary
In 2022, North Wind Portage, Inc. was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage remediation and closure operations at the Moab site under a 10-year, $613.9 million contract. The Moab contract’s scope includes the relocation of mill tailings, associated wastes, and other contaminated materials from a former uranium-ore processing facility site in Moab, UT to a DOE-constructed, engineered disposal facility near Crescent Junction, UT. The purpose of the contract is complete cleanup of the Moab site, complete the installation of the disposal cell final cover, restore the Moab and Crescent Junction sites, and significantly reduce risk and financial lability through provision of an optimized solution for project completion.
North Wind Portage’s vision for the Moab Remedial Action Contract (RAC) is rooted in our values of integrity, safety, innovation, and sustainability. We have deep ties to the Moab community with more than 10 years of continuous presence in the local communities.
North Wind Portage remains committed to partnering with DOE to deliver project completion, meet all existing and future cleanup milestones and commitments, and safely and efficiently restore the Moab and Crescent Junction sites.
About the North Wind Portage Team
North Wind Portage will serve as the prime contractor, responsible for delivery of the project and completion of the project’s goals and objectives. We have selected two subcontractors to support us in completing the project.
Founded in 1992, North Wind Portage is a Small, Disadvantaged Business who specializes in providing innovative and comprehensive solutions to complex hazardous and radiological remediation, D&D, and waste management challenges. Ranked as the #1 Small Business Government Contractor in the 562910 NAICS code in 2019 and 2020, North Wind Portage performs over $110 million annually in remediation work across the United States.
Dwyer Engineering will support the project by providing design and oversight of the Crescent Junction landfill construction, operations, final cap, and closure.
Established in 2017, Green Globe Environmental (GGE) specializes in developing and implementing stormwater pollution prevention plans, site inspections, erosion and sediment controls, and regulatory and permit compliance. GGE will support the project by providing regulatory and environmental compliance, planning, coordination, and integration of closure strategies.
Summary of North Wind Portage’s Management Approach
North Wind Portage’s Management approach is summarized below:
- Perform removal/remediation of the remaining four million tons of Residual Radioactive Material (RRM) and debris, aligning removal operations with material conditioning and placement operations. Utilize the existing site infrastructure while performing value engineering to assess and implement efficiencies and innovations to increase production rates beyond 1.1 million tons per year.
- Complete design and pursue final approval of an evapo-transpirative cover for closure of Crescent Junction disposal cells to significantly reduce closure costs and schedule while improving the longevity of the final cell cover.
- Plan, manage, and execute the closure process as a parallel project to the ongoing remediation operations, implementing an FSS-as we go approach.
- Integrate core and support functions to fully support remedial and closure operations while protecting worker safety and health, the local communities, and the environment.
Organizational Structure and Key Personnel
North Wind Portage’s project organization structure is provided below:
Our Key Personnel include:
- Program Manager – Greg Church, PMP
- Moab Operations/Site Manager – Ken Kisiel, PMP
- Crescent Junction Operations/Site Manager – Mike McCullough
- Closure Manager – Steve Rima, CHP, CSP
- Environmental Safety, Health and Quality Manager – Neil Kiely, CHP, RRPT
- Planning and Integration Strategist – Mike Beardsley, PE
- Principal Engineer – Steven Dwyer, PhD, PE
Performance Commitments
North Wind Portage makes the following performance commitments:
- We are committed to partnering with DOE, the local community, and other stakeholders to deliver a safe and successful project and close the Moab and Crescent Junction sites safely, efficiently, completely, and compliantly.
- We are committed to completing removal of RRM and debris from the Moab Site by 2028; to completing cap, cover and closure of Crescent Junction by 2029; and to completing survey, release, and restoration of both sites by 2030.
- We are committed to continuously evaluating remedial and closure processes, performing value engineering analyses, and implementing innovations and efficiencies to reduce project cost and schedule and enhance safety and compliance.
- We are committed to protecting the work force, the local communities, and the environment
- We are committed to performing all work in a safe, compliant, efficient, and quality manner
- We are committed to engaging, appreciating, supporting, including, and rewarding the entire project team.
Past Performance on Similar Contracts
North Wind Portage has a 30-year history of performing environmental remediation for federal, state, and commercial clients. Recent, similar past performance includes:
Moab Remediation Action Contract – North Wind Portage has been performing removal, transportation, and disposal of RRM from the Moab site since late 2011. We have safely removed over 6 million tons of RRM and debris, compliantly transported, and securely disposed the material.
Luckey FUSRAP Remediation – North Wind Portage has remediated over 85,000 cubic yards of radiological-, hazardous-, and beryllium-contaminated soil, sediment, and debris from the Luckey site. We have surveyed, released, and restored over 8 acres of the site and, deconstructed and removed 8 structures totaling over 175,000 square feet.
North Ridge Estates Superfund Remediation – North Wind Portage remediated over 320,000 cubic yards of asbestos-contaminated soil from 45 residential properties over 170 acres. We sampled and released the remediated areas and restored the sites.
Los Alamos MDA-B Remediation – North Wind Portage remediated over 47,000 cubic yards of soil, debris and buried wastes containing uranium, beryllium, lead, other heavy metals, plutonium and other fission products, VOCs, and asbestos from a 6-acre former disposal area.