Highlights for November 15 - November 19, 2004

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Site Assistance Visits (SAVs) for Design Basis Threat (DBT) Implementation: The SAV teams held a lessons-learned meeting in Germantown, MD, this week (November 16-17) to discuss methods to improve and streamline the process for future visits. Refinements were identified to improve the assessment of promising technologies and protective force deployment strategies. The next SAV is scheduled to be conducted at Pantex. The objective is to identify protection strategies and technologies to effectively implement the September 2004 design basis threat (DBT).

Control and Accountability of Classified Removable Electronic Media (CREM): The final validation was conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) this week (November 15-19). A follow-up review is scheduled to be conducted at Sandia National Laboratories-California (SNL-CA). A total of nineteen (19) sites/organizations have now been validated. An overall report summarizing the validation results will be completed following the SNL-CA follow-up review.

Special Access Program Oversight Committee (SAPOC) Briefing: The annual briefing summarizing inspection results to members of SAPOC is scheduled for December.

Chemical -Biological (Chem-Bio) Agent Special Review: OA-10 and OA-30 completed the development of a Chemical - Biological Special Review Evaluation Plan. The plan is currently undergoing management review and will be distributed upon final approval. Onsite scoping activities for the first of three scheduled reviews is scheduled to be conducted at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Reviews are also scheduled at Oak Ridge and Los Alamos National Laboratories (ORNL and LANL, respectively). The results of this special review may impact the implementation of current protection strategies across the Department.

Composite Adversary Team (CAT) Training: The lesson plans have bee updated and final preparations are being completed in support of the training.

Nuclear Materials Management Safeguards System (NMMSS) Task Force Report: Work continued on the development of this report. The report is scheduled for review by the Quality Review Board (QRB) the week of November 29.

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned: Work towards completing the report continued. The draft report is scheduled for management review by December 15. This report is based on safeguard and security inspection results over the last two years. The report is being prepared for ESE and NNSA security managers and will identify positive attributes, areas needing improvement, and best practices to enhance protection programs throughout the Department.

Up-Date for High Risk Incumbents: OA-10 received the quarterly up-date for high risk incumbent (polygraph) from the Office of Counterintelligence (CN). A response is being prepared.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) Unclassified Cyber Security Inspection: Development of the final report continued.

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Cyber Security Inspection: The final report was distributed this week. A draft corrective action plan (CAP) addressing issued identified as a result of the inspection is due to OA by December 15.

Office of Counterintelligence (CN) Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) Classified Cyber Security Inspection: Comments have been received by CN and the final draft report is being developed.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Cyber Security Inspection. Onsite inspection activities were conducted this week (November 15-19).

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP). The final CAP was received this week.

Western Area Power Administration (Western) Cyber Security Inspection. A conference call with key Western cyber security personnel was conducted this week. Preparations continued in support of this inspection scheduled for January and February 2005. Communications continue with the Western CIO and cyber security staff to facilitate planning of the inspection activities. A document request was sent to the site and the technical assessment protocol is under development.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review: Discussions with Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU) were conducted this week in support of this special review. A security review of the DEAR software application, managed by the OCIO, is being performed in response to concerns raised by a representative of the NTEU.

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Follow-up Inspection: Preparations are underway to conduct a follow-up inspection at LLNL in CY 2005 to examine the status of several emergency management program elements originally evaluated during the July 2002 inspection. The follow-up inspection is scheduled to occur concurrently with the Chemical and Biological Agent Special Review.

Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) Emergency Management Targeted Review: Awaiting comments from the site regarding the draft inspection report provided on November 4. Comments are scheduled to be received next week (November 22). Site management is considering compensatory measures to address program elements rated as having significant weaknesses pending development of long term corrective actions.

Emergency Management Site Characterization Visits: A visit is scheduled for the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Morgantown, WV. The purpose of the visits is to obtain a better understanding of the sites emergency management programs. The visits are being coordinated with the appropriate program and site office personnel.

Participation in Development of Classification Guidance on Malevolent Dispersal. OA-30 participated as a member of the Classification Working Group to develop classification guidance on malevolent dispersal of hazardous material. The guidance is being developed in response to the White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, Jr., memorandum to all Federal agencies requiring a comprehensive review of all Government information "that could be misused to harm the security of our Nation or threaten public safety." The classification guidance being developed is an attempt by the Department to strike a balance between emergency response information needed by the public and information useful in deliberately creating emergencies that may be harmful to the public safety. OA-30's participation is intended to provide technical support to ensure that critical essential emergency response information is publicly releasable for planning purposes in order to ensure that first responders have the required Federal information to properly respond to emergency situations to protect the health and safety of DOE and DOE contractor personnel and the public.

Office of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Evaluations (OA-40)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ES&H Inspection: Onsite validation and close-out activities were completed this week (November 15-18). The site is scheduled to provide comments on the draft final report by December 3.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory ES&H Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Review of the approved CAP, provided on November 2, continued.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2004-1, Oversight of Complex, High-Hazard Nuclear Operations: Continued to provide support to develop an implementation plan for this recommendation. A number of significant comments on the implementation plan have been provided and discussions held with the implementation plan team lead and team members.

New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) ES&H Inspection: Preparation for this inspection continued. Onsite data collection activities are scheduled.

Unresolved Safety Question (USQ) Guide: Completed the review and provided comments to the Office of Environment, safety, and Health (EH) on the draft USQ Guide. (This item is completed.)