On October 1, 1980 the West Valley Demonstration Project Act, Public Law 96-368, was signed directing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to take the lead role in solidifying the liquid high-level waste and decontaminating and decommissioning the facilities at West Valley. In 1982 The Department of Energy selected West Valley Nuclear Services (WVNS), a Westinghouse subsidiary, to manage and operate the site. Control of the 200 acre developed site is turned over to DOE; the project is named the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP).

The next year vitrification, or the incorporation of high-level radioactive waste into glass, was selected as the preferred method for solidifying the waste NFS left at West Valley. In preparation for radioactive vitrification, WVNS begins pre-treatment of the high-level waste. Solidification of the lower-level radioactive salt solution from the waste tank begins to reduce the amount of highly radioactive glass that will be produced. Waste pretreatment continues until 1995.