2021 Accomplishments

Our progress toward protecting the environment and our workforce

By the Numbers

FY20 FY21 Performance Activity Background
5 33 Transuranic (TRU) waste shipments to WIPP executed From start of contract in April 2018, 54 shipments (283 m³) executed.
895 1,284 Low-level waste (LLW) dispositioned (cubic meters) Incl. CH-TRU & ER LLW; 149 total shipments (3,632 m³) completed.
2,035 54 Mixed low-level waste (MLLW) dispositioned (cubic meters) Incl. CH-TRU & ER MLLW; 94 total shipments (2,150 m³) completed.
17 12.6 Hazardous waste dispositioned (cubic meters) Incl. CH-TRU & ER haz waste; 19 total shipments (259 m³) completed.
0 1 Nuclear waste remediation process lines started Started LLW remediation processing line in FY21 Q3 to remove liquid that resulted from precipitation accumulation following outside storage
994 430 Waste characterization activities in advance of remediation and/or shipment High Energy Real Time Radiography, Flam Gas, and High Efficiency Neutron Counter performed by the WIPP Central Characterization Program.
354 264 Legacy TRU waste containers remediated in advance of disposal Entails sorting and repackaging waste to meet disposal facility acceptance criteria.
11 10 Consent Order campaigns underway (17 total) One Consent Order campaign completed during FY20, 16 remain, 10 in progress.
16/16 13/13 Consent Order milestones completed The DOE EM Los Alamos Field Office proposed 13 milestones for FY21.
4,974 6,414 Water, soil and vapor samples collected Samples collected for characterization and to support final remedies
65.7 114.2 Groundwater treated and reinjected at Chromium Interim Measure (million gallons) System became fully operational along plume's eastern boundary in March 2021.
113.5 206.8 Hexavalent chromium removed from regional aquifer (pounds) Removed through extraction and treatment via ion exchange.
664 1,332 Storm water control inspections conducted under Individual Permit Storm water controls mitigate erosion and potential contaminant transport. Inspections dependent on rain events.
122 194 Aggregate Area waste dispositioned (cubic meters) Soil and debris excavated as part of environmental remediation activities.
4 14 Certificates of Completion (COCs) from New Mexico Environment Dept. for contaminated sites associated with historical LANL operations Enables status change under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit.
106,870 149,690 Transition water shipped (gallons) Consists of purged well water and drilling fluids stored around LANL and on Los Alamos County lands that remained from previous contract.
145 16.4 Transition soil, metal and debris shipped (cubic meters) Non-hazardous waste and New Mexico Special Waste. Final shipment of transition materials that remained from previous contract completed Sept. 16.
20 44 Stakeholder engagement meetings Public meetings have continued virtually throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
30 8 Students enrolled in N3B's Workforce Development Program Implemented in partnership with local colleges. N3B's first class of nuclear operator apprentices graduated in August 2021.
$55.5M $46M N3B annual small business commitments FY21 decrease attributed to COVID-19 pandemic.
67% 83% Percent of subcontracts awarded to small businesses Contract requires 65% of annual purchase commitments go to small businesses.

N3B (FY20 and FY21)

Scope of work

Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos (N3B) is responsible for safely and efficiently cleaning up legacy contamination and waste resulting from nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear research between1942 and 1999 at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

N3B's Parent Companies

N3B is an HII Nuclear-led company with BWX Technologies, with critical subcontractors Longenecker & Associates and Tech2Solutions.