The Department of Energy will host eight public tours of the Savannah River Site in 2009. The dates of the scheduled tours are as follows:

• Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (8:30 a.m.)
• Thursday, September 17, 2009 (8:30 a.m.)
• Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (8:30 a.m.)
• Monday, October 5, 2009 (8:30 a.m.)
• Thursday, October 15, 2009 (12:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (12:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 12, 2009 (12:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, December 1, 2009 (12:30 p.m.)

Tour times are 8:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., and last for approximately four hours.

All tours begin and end at the Center for Hydrogen Research, located at 301 Gateway, Drive, Aiken, S.C. 29803. The tours are free of charge.

A highly successful pilot program conducted in March confirmed that the public is very much interested in learning about the past, present and future of SRS. Online registration for the first tour filled 300 seats in less than 24 hours.

Based on the success of the pilot program, the U.S. Department of Energy is reinstituting the public tour program, with eight tours that will begin in September and will include a few added features.

"Feedback from the pilot program told us the public wanted more so we've lengthened the tour agenda and included a stop at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory," said Jeff Allison, DOE-SR manager.

"We're also including drive-by tours of both Dunbarton and Ellenton, former towns that were relocated when the government began constructing SRS in the early 1950s."

Tours will last about four hours and will begin and end at the Aiken County Center for Hydrogen Research campus near the Site.

Tour participants must be U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old, have valid photo identification (required on the day of the tour) and provide their full name (as stated on their photo identification) and birth date.

Participants will be required to provide their Social Security number on the day of the tour, with security checks to be conducted prior to each tour.

For more information or to register for a tour, visit www.srs.gov and click on "About SRS" for the SRS Tour Program or use the direct link to www5.hanford.gov/srstours