Mound Plant, Ohio

Owned by the Department of Energy and operated for many years by Monsanto and EG&G, the Mound Plant produced detonation devices for nuclear weapons and conducted research on nuclear fuels and isotope separation, starting in 1947. In 1993 the DOE decided to terminate all production at the plant. Consequently by 1996 the primary activity at the plant became the decontamination of the buildings and grounds, in preparation for the expected full conversion to commercial use. Around $90 million has been spent annually on these remediation efforts. There now exists a Mound Advanced Technology Center as a part of the redevelopment effort. The Mound Plant is named for a large Indian mound, adjacent to the plant. The paved top of the mound provides a good view of the plant.