[SOE LETTERHEAD]
February 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:
I am pleased to forward the
Annual Report for calendar year 2003, entitled Department of Energy Activities Relating to the Defense Nuclear
Facilities Safety Board. Section
316(b) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 requires the Department of Energy
(Department) to submit a written report to Congress addressing the Department’s
activities related to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board).
During 2003, the Department
received no new recommendations from the Board.
The Department continues to make excellent progress on resolving
existing open Board recommendations and implementing other initiatives to
assure public health and safety. These
include upgrading the Department’s Federal technical capability, reducing risk
through stabilization of excess nuclear materials, and reviewing the NASA
Columbia Accident for applicable lessons learned.
If you have any questions,
please contact me or Mr. Rick A. Dearborn, Assistant Secretary for
Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, at (202) 586-5450 or Mr. Mark B.
Whitaker, Jr., Departmental Representative to the Board, at (202) 586-3887.
Sincerely,
Spencer Abraham