[DOE
LETTERHEAD]
July 26, 2007
The Honorable A. J. Eggenberger
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20004-2941
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The purpose of this letter is to notify the Defense
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) that Commitment 119W in the
Implementation Plan (IP) for Recommendation 2000-1, Prioritization for Stabilizing
Nuclear Materials, was completed on July 3, 2007. The IP commitment calls for completion of bulk
sludge containerization at K West Basin by July 31, 2007.
Vacuuming of the majority of sludge from the K West
Basin floor and pits into engineered containers was completed to the extent
practicable. Highlights include:
There are some areas which could not be readily accessed by
vacuuming equipment. These areas include
fuel processing equipment. To the extent
practicable the sludge was spray-washed to a vacuum head using a water jet.
The debris was also removed to the
extent practicable. The risk generated
by performing disassembly and multiple critical lifts in airborne radioactivity
areas are not commensurate with the benefit of vacuuming under this equipment. Conservative estimates show that the sludge
under this equipment is on the order of 1 to 2% of the K West bulk sludge vacuumed. The majority of these inaccessible areas will
be vacuumed as part
of the final pass vacuuming activity, which
is scheduled for completion by January 31, 2008. A few areas will be deemed appropriate to
vacuum and cleanout as
part of the K West Basin demolition activity due to
dose, safety, and efficiency considerations. Found fuel will remain in the basin until it
is processed, packaged in a Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO),
and removed to dry storage. This fuel
processing activity is scheduled to be completed in Fiscal Year 2008. Fuel processing equipment will be maintained
operational to support this work.
If you have any comments or feedback, please call me at (202)
586-0738, or Mr. Dae Y.
Chung, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Safety
Management and Operations, at (202) 586-5151.
Sincerely,
Dr. Inés R. Triay
Chief Operating Officer for
Environmental Management
cc :
D. A. Brockman, RL
M. B. Whitaker, HS-1.1