[DOE
LETTERHEAD]
November 18, 2002
The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, NW
Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004-2901
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Thank you for your cooperation
while we worked to resolve the issues raised by your staff regarding the design
of safety-related aspects in the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) undergoing
construction at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
The Department appreciates the objective views from the Defense Nuclear
Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) on this subject and, likewise, is very
interested in improving/adding design features to enhance the safety of the
TEF. The enclosed responses have been
discussed with your staff to reach a consensus on the issues. Formal concurrence with the Department’s
responses to the issues is requested to properly document the project’s path
forward with regard to this matter.
The enclosed letter from B. D.
Smith to C. H. Ramsey provides a compilation of responses to the issues raised to date by the DNFSB staff
concerning the TEF project. As
indicated in the enclosure, several responses are dependent on future project activities
to facilitate closure. These items will
be tracked on the TEF Project action item tracking system until such time as
closure/incorporation of actions is completed.
Thank you again for your input
and support as we continue with the construction and testing phases of the TEF
project. Should you have any questions
or concerns relative to this matter, please contact me at (202) 586-2179 or
Mike Hickman at (803) 952-7195.
Sincerely,
Everet H. Beckner
Deputy Administrator
for Defense Programs
cc w/enclosure:
M. Whitaker, EH-9