Highlights for November 29 - December 3, 2004

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Site Assistance Visits (SAVs) for Design Basis Threat (DBT) Implementation: Preparations were completed for the next SAV 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): Onsite data collection activities were conducted in support of the follow-up review at Sandia National Laboratories-California (SNL-CA) this week (December 2-3). A total of twenty (20) sites/organizations have now been validated. The development of an overall report summarizing the validation results was initiated.

Meeting with House Appropriations Committee Investigators: Met with investigators from the Surveys and Investigations Staff of the House Appropriations Committee this week (November 29). The focus of the meeting was on Departmental and NNSA security policy; implementation of the 2004 of the Design Basis Threat (DBT) policy by 2008; DBT budget formulation; and the Department's oversight and enforcement mechanisms. Additional meetings are expected for later in December.

Oversight Policy and Order, 226.1: OA-10 and OA-40 briefed the Energy Facilities Contractor Group (EFCOG) on the status of the proposed DOE oversight policy and order. EFCOG members were interested on how the proposed policy addresses the Department's response to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) recommendation 2004-1. The two efforts (Policy/Order 226.1 development and 2004-1 Implementation Plan development) have been closely coordinated. The Policy has been forwarded to the Deputy Secretary for review and approval. The Order is being prepared for vetting through the DOE REVCOM process.

Chemical -Biological (Chem-Bio) Agent Special Review: Preparations were completed in support of onsite scoping activities scheduled to be conducted at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Reviews are also scheduled to be conducted at the 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: Preparations were completed this week in support of the training.

Force Protection Tactics and Techniques Summit: OA-10 protective force subject matter experts attended the summit at the Kings Bay Naval Base in Georgia this week. The summit included demonstrations of recovery/recapture operations and protection of convoys. The techniques demonstrated and information exchanged will be used to enhance performance testing during independent oversight inspections.

Nuclear Materials Management Safeguards System (NMMSS) Task Force Report: The draft report was completed this week. The Quality Review Board (QRB) review of the draft report has been postponed for later this month.

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned: The draft report was completed this week and 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.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) Unclassified Cyber Security Inspection: The final inspection report has been completed and is being distributed.

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A draft CAP addressing issues identified as a result of the inspection is due to OA by December 15.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Cyber Security Inspection. Development of the preliminary draft report continued. Onsite validation and close-out activities are scheduled.

Western Area Power Administration (Western) Cyber Security Inspection. 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: Onsite data collection activities were conducted and the development of a draft inspection report was initiated this week (November 29 - December 3). A security review of the DEAR software application, managed by the OCIO, is being performed in response to concerns raised by the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU).

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Follow-up Inspection: Preparations continued in support of the follow-up inspection at LLNL in CY 2005 to examine the status of several emergency management program elements 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: The Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology has no factual accuracy comments to the final draft report. The final report is scheduled to be issued in December. Line management has directed that compensatory measures be implemented to address program elements rated as having significant weaknesses pending development of long- term corrective actions. An interim corrective action plan is due within 30 days and a final corrective action plan within 60 days of the final report issuance.

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

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ES&H Inspection: A briefing with the NNSA Chief of Defense Nuclear Safety and Safety Advisor regarding the inspection findings was conducted this week (December 3). The site is scheduled to provide comments on the draft final report next week (December 6-10).

Oak Ridge National Laboratory ES&H Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments on the CAP were discussed with site and Oak Ridge management and provided to SC in a memorandum this week. This item is closed.

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: Onsite data collection activities were conducted this week (November 29 - December 3). The draft report is scheduled to be developed next week (December 6-10) Onsite validation and closeout activities are scheduled.

Pantex (Pantex) Plant ES&H Inspection: Preparations continued in support of onsite scoping activities scheduled to be conducted at Pantex.

ES&H Focus Area Reports: Preparation of the CY 04 reports continued. The review criteria and approaches for CY 05 are under development.

Annual ES&H Lessons Learned Report: Development of the report summarizing the lessons learned from CY 04 inspections continued.