Manager, Environmental Management Sector; Director, RemPlex
Manager, Environmental Management Sector; Director, RemPlex

Biography

Mr. Tom Brouns manages Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Environmental Management Sector. He has more than 30 years of experience developing and managing research, development, and demonstration projects and programs involving government, industry, research, and university partners. Mr. Brouns is a chemical engineer with extensive technical and management experience in the disposition and remediation of chemical and nuclear waste, including processing, disposal, and subsurface cleanup.

Since joining PNNL in 1987, his career includes leading major science and technology programs for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) and for DOE contractors. This includes Tanks Focus Area, a national science and technology program supporting the processing and disposition of DOE’s radioactive tank wastes at Hanford, Idaho, Savannah River, West Valley, and Oak Ridge sites. It also includes the seismic boreholes project, the Hanford low-activity waste supplement treatment technology evaluation and down-selection program, along with a research and field demonstration program for DOE’s VOC-Arid Integrated Demonstration Program, focused on subsurface environmental remediation technologies.

Mr. Brouns previously served as PNNL’s lead for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, supporting the submittal of the Yucca Mountain license application; the Hanford tank operations contractor, leading development of strategies and technologies for managing low-activity waste; and PNNL’s entire portfolio supporting DOE-EM. In 2010, Mr. Brouns transitioned to manage PNNL’s Clean Fossil Energy Sector portfolio, focused on emissions management including carbon capture and geologic sequestration. In 2016, he returned to the DOE-EM mission to spearhead PNNL’s Hanford tank operations contractor program addressing tank vapors.

A fellow of Waste Management Symposia (WMS), he also serves as co-chair of the high-level radioactive wastes and spent/used nuclear fuel track. He was was elected to a two-year term, starting in 2024, as the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) representative to the WMS Board of Directors. In this role, Mr. Brouns serves on various WMS PAC and Board committees, including the Program and Performance standing committee which reviews and constantly evaluates the scope and effectiveness of the conference and makes recommendations for action if necessary.

He holds BS and MS degrees in chemical engineering from Washington State University (Pullman, WA).

Education

  • BS in chemical engineering, Washington State University
  • MS in chemical engineering, Washington State University

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Center for the Remediation of Complex Sites (RemPlex)
  • Waste Management Symposia

Publications

2020

2019

Cullinan V.I., L.A. Mahoney, T.M. Brouns, S.K. Nune, J.A. Bamberger, C.K. Clayton, and L.F. Pease, et al. 2019. BY-110 Headspace Sampling Comparison Test. PNNL-28801 Vol. 1. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

2008

  • Brouns T.M., A.C. Rohay, R.R. Youngs, C.J. Costantino, and L.F. Miller. 2008. "Technical Basis for Certification of Seismic Design Criteria for the Waste Treatment Plant, Hanford, Washington." In Waste Management '08: Phoenix Rising: Moving Forward in Waste Management, Paper No. 8188. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-58722.

2007

  • Brouns T.M. 2007. Sampling and Analysis Plan Waste Treatment Plant Seismic Boreholes Project. PNNL-15848 Revision 3. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Sampling and Analysis Plan Waste Treatment Plant Seismic Boreholes Project.
  • Brouns T.M., A.C. Rohay, S. Reidel, and M.G. Gardner. 2007. "Reducing Uncertainty in the Seismic Design Basis for the Waste Treatment Plant, Hanford, Washington." In Waste Management 2007: Proceedings of the Symposium on Waste Management. Tucson, Arizona:Arizona Board of Regents. PNNL-SA-53948.
  • Rohay A.C., and T.M. Brouns. 2007. Site-Specific Velocity and Density Model for the Waste Treatment Plant, Hanford, Washington. PNNL-16652. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Site-Specific Velocity and Density Model for the Waste Treatment Plant, Hanford, Washington.

2006

  • Bagaasen L.M., T.M. Brouns, M.L. Elliott, P.R. Hrma, D. Kim, J. Matyas, and E.M. Pierce, et al. 2006. "Transport of Technetium and Rhenium into Refractory Materials during Bulk Vitrification." In Waste Management '06: Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia. PNNL-SA-48697.
  • Brouns T.M., and K.L. Manke. 2006. Environmental Solutions: A Summary of Contributions for FY05: PNNL Contributions to CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. PNNL-15642. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Environmental Solutions: A Summary of Contributions for FY05: PNNL Contributions to CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc.

2005

2004

  • Raymond R.E., R.W. Powell, D.W. Hamilton, W.A. Kitchen, B.M. Mauss, and T.M. Brouns. 2004. "Initial Selection of Supplemental Treatment Technologies for Hanford's Low-Activity Tank Waste." In WM'04. Waste Management 2004 Symposium Proceeding: HLW, LLW, Mixed, Hazardous Wastes and Environmental Restoration - Working Towards a Cleaner Environment, Feburary 29- March 4, 2004, Tuscon, AZ., 21 pages, WM-4524. Tucson, Arizona:WM Symposia, Inc. PNNL-SA-39463.

2003

1999

  • Allen R.W., T.M. Brouns, B.A. Carteret, R.L. Gilchrist, S.N. Schlahta, J.H. Westsik, and L.R. Roeder-Smith. 1999. TFA FY00-FY04 Multiyear Program Plan. PNNL-12264. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. TFA FY00-FY04 Multiyear Program Plan