[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:

• The accessible floor areas have been vacuumed to expose concrete.
• Spent nuclear fuel identified during vacuuming has been characterized and segregated. Future fuel processing activities are expected to generate some sludge which will be dispositioned at that time.
• Accessible debris has been washed and the out-of-service pumps have been flushed. The remaining pumping systems and hoses were flushed internally.

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