[SOE LETTERHEAD]

 

December 23, 2004

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700

Washington, D.C. 20004

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

The Department is pleased to forward the Department's Implementation Plan (Plan) in response to the Board’s Recommendation 2004-1, Oversight of Complex, High-Hazard Nuclear Operations.  The Plan outlines the actions we will take to upgrade federal safety assurance, to learn from internal and external operating experience, and to reinvigorate our Integrated Safety Management program implementation. 

 

This Plan represents a significant step forward.  It commits the Department to having Central Technical Authorities with a strong and active role in assuring safety.  We expect to work with the Board as we move down the path outlined in this Plan.  I am confident that the Department, with the Board’s continued involvement, can successfully implement this Plan.  

 

In response to your request, we are also providing the current Project Management Plan (PMP) associated with this Plan.  The PMP is our internal management tool to help our managers keep implementation of the Plan on target and on track.   

 

I have assigned Mr. Jerry Paul and Mr. John Shaw to work together as the Department’s responsible managers for successfully executing this Plan and resolving the issues raised in Board Recommendation 2004-1.  Mr. Paul can be reached at (202) 586-1656 and Mr. Shaw can be reached at (202) 586-6151.  We appreciate the advice and feedback provided by the Board and its staff during the development of this Plan.

 

Sincerely,

 

Spencer Abraham

 

Enclosure

 

Enclosure 1 – Implementation Plan

Enclosure 2 – Project Management Plan