[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

National Nuclear Security Administration

 

February 1, 2005

 

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 purpose of this letter is to accept your request for a senior National Nuclear Security Administration manager to brief the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board regarding the following overdue commitments from the Implementation Plan for Recommendation 98-2, “Safety Management at the Pantex Plant,” on a monthly basis.

 

Commitment 4.2.2:  Further guidance on expectations for the evaluation and documentation of weapon response to potential accident environments and stimuli will be issued through a technical business practice (TBP).

 

A draft TBP addressing these issues has been developed and is in the review stage.  The planned release of this TBP will be in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2005.

 

Commitment 4.3.4:  Validate implementation of the improved site-wide technical safety requirement controls for onsite transportation of nuclear explosives.

 

The number of controls implemented to date is 112 out of 150 with an estimated completion date of July 2005.

 

Commitment 4.4.6:  Seamless Safety for the 21st Century Authorization Startup for the B83 Program.

 

The project is currently in the review process.  The readiness verification yielded findings that required changes to the Hazard Analysis Report.  The nuclear explosive safety study is currently scheduled to begin February 2005.

 

Mr. Marty Schoenbauer, Assistant Deputy Administrator for Military Application and Stockpile Operations, presented the first briefing on January 12, 2005, and will continue monthly presentations.  If you have questions, please contact Mr. Schoenbauer at 202/586-4879.

 

Sincerely,

 

Linton F. Brooks

Administrator

 

cc:

M. Whitaker, DR-1

K. Fortenberry, DNFSB

W. Andrews, DNFSB