[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 107 (Thursday, July 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S4397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JAMES R. COOPER

 Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, my colleague Senator Jim Risch joins 
me today in honoring James R. Cooper, who is retiring from the U.S. 
Department of Energy, DOE, where he was a great asset to Idaho during 
his tenure with the Idaho Operations Office.
  Jim is retiring as deputy manager for the Idaho Cleanup Project. His 
responsibilities have included management of spent nuclear fuel and 
high-level radioactive waste and the exhumation and disposal of cold-
war era buried transuranic waste. His work advancing the environmental 
cleanup mission at the site has helped reduce risk to workers, the 
public, and the environment. It has also continued protection of the 
Snake River Plain Aquifer. Through his leadership, environmental 
cleanup projects have been finished ahead of schedule and under cost, 
which has enabled resources to be reinvested into furthering the 
cleanup efforts. Jim's commitment to timely and cost-effective 
management is commendable.
  Prior to his position with the Idaho Cleanup Project, Jim worked as 
the facility and material disposition program manager and was 
responsible for ensuring the safe and compliant deactivation and 
decommissioning of nuclear test reactors and other retired nuclear 
facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory. During this time, he 
helped lead the cleanup team in successful deactivation and 
decommissioning projects at the Idaho Site. This included a visionary 
change in the approach of cleanup at the site.
  Under Jim's management Idaho crews decontaminated and decommissioned 
more than 200 facilities. Recognizing this hard work, the Idaho 
contamination and decommissioning project was awarded the 2013 
Secretary's Excellence and Achievement Award for completion of the 
project's work scope ahead of schedule and under budget. Jim is well 
respected for his strong leadership and ability to develop 
relationships and communications that are instrumental in advancing 
cleanup.
  Thank you, Jim, for your more than 30 years of service, including 22 
years of project management within DOE. You made great progress in the 
critical effort of cleanup. As you retire, you are truly leaving our 
State and Nation in better condition. Current and future generations 
will benefit from your hard work. You have much to be proud of for a 
job well done. Congratulations on your retirement. We thank you for 
your outstanding service and wish you all the best.

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