Weekly Highlights for October 14 - 18, 2002

 

Activities Underway

 

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

 

ANL-W Comprehensive Inspection:  Preparations for the data collection phase and performance testing have been completed. 

 

CMPC Special Reviews:  The LLNL and Nevada draft reports have been refined and forwarded to the sites for the 10-day comment period.  The next special review will be conducted at ANL-W.

 

Applicable comments have been incorporated into the draft AL/OTS comprehensive inspection report.  The technical edit of the draft report is being completed this week.  OA’s response to the interim corrective action plans has been developed and provided to management.

 

LANL Comprehensive Inspection:  The document request list has been forwarded to the site, work has begun on the inspection plan, and preparation for performance testing continues.

 

Work continues on the security plan for the OA classified local area network.  The test plan has been drafted and is awaiting approval of the security plan before testing will begin. 

 

Coordination is ongoing with OA-20 concerning updates to the CAP status book.

 

Support of the NNSA iterative site analysis (ISA) at Y-12 continues.  This support is scheduled to be completed October 25, 2002. 

 

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

 

OA-20 is providing support to DOE’s Office of Energy Assurance (OEA) by conducting an assessment of cyber security vulnerabilities associated with critical infrastructure assets.  This effort is intended to support the transfer cyber security assessment processes to OEA in support the Department’s efforts to protect critical energy infrastructure assets throughout the United States.  An onsite coordination meeting was held and onsite assessment activities are scheduled.  A Performance Test Agreement for the scanning activities has been executed. 

 

OA-20 conducted an initial coordination conference call with representatives from the Albuquerque Operations Office and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in preparation for an upcoming assessment at the laboratory.  Team rosters and assignments have been established. 

 

OA-20 personnel prepared a draft report to document the recent cyber security appraisal conducted at the Chicago Operations Office.

 

OA-20 personnel have initiated a special study (Perimeter Scanning Project) to map and identify vulnerabilities in DOE computer networks exposed to potential attack from the Internet.  Outreach activities to communicate the scope and objectives of the project have been initiated.  An announcement memorandum that distributes the project plan has been prepared and provided to the Chief Information Officer for concurrence.  Significant activities are ongoing to develop technical methodologies and procedures to be used in the project. 

 

OA-20 personnel have continued to refine a concept paper on establishing an unannounced cyber security performance testing capability within the Office.  This initiative is intended to provide a more real-world environment to test the security of unclassified computer networks from remote locations.

 

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

 

The Safety and Emergency Management onsite validation and closeout visit for the Nevada Test Site inspection was conducted October 1-3.  The final draft report was provided, and formal site comments are due October 21.  Briefings are scheduled for October 21 with NNSA senior management.

 

OA-30 and OA-50 continue to plan for the combined review at Pantex.  Biweekly conference calls are occurring to coordinate the upcoming review.  An additional 2-day site visit to finalize tabletop preparation efforts was completed.

 

OA-30 and OA-50 are in the initial stages of planning for an evaluation of the Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico following the completed scoping visit.

 

Office of Environment, Safety and Health Evaluations (OA-50)

 

Comments on the revised DOE Order 470.2B, Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance Program, received from the FMC have been resolved.

 

EM 1 approved the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for the Hanford (PFP specific) safety management inspection on October 8, 2002.  A copy of the approved plan was not provided to OA-50.  A copy has been requested.

 

A final corrective action plan for the safety and emergency management inspection at LLNL has been requested.

 

The corrective action plan for the Nevada Test Site inspection and report comments have been requested.

 

Coordination of the upcoming safety and emergency management inspection at the Pantex Plant continues.  Biweekly teleconferences are being conducted with the site to coordinate activities.  Team planning will begin on October 21.

 

Coordination of the upcoming safety and emergency management inspection at the Sandia National Laboratory continues.

 

Y-12 site management was contacted to identify a point of contact and initiate discussion regarding the scoping visit for the safety management inspection.

 

A meeting with several DNFSB staff to discuss various aspects of both OA’s and their activities associated with implementation of 10CFR 830 Subpart B has been scheduled for October 28.  This is in response to inquiries from several DNFSB staff.

 

Activities Completed

 

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

 

Draft enhanced protocols for the conduct of OA force on force exercises have been submitted to management for review and approval.

 

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

 

OA-30 and the Office of Emergency Management, NA-41, continue to have concern that the Kansas City Plant emergency management program does not have an adequate technical basis.  OA-1 met with National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) senior management to express this concern and the potential precedence for the complex should the “necessary and sufficient process” be used to screen out the need for hazards assessments.

 

Office of Environment, Safety and Health Evaluations (OA-50)

 

The scoping visit for the upcoming inspection of environment, safety, health, and emergency management at the Sandia National Laboratory was completed.

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