Highlights for September 12 - September 16, 2005

Calendar Year (CY) 2006 Inspection Schedule: The CY 2006 independent oversight inspection schedule was provided to the Director, SSA, for review and approval this week. The schedule has been vetted through all affected DOE program offices. Announcement memos to the Under Secretary, ESE, Administrator, NNSA, and Director, Office of Intelligence, were developed and are also scheduled to be provided to SSA management for review this week.

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations

Office of Secure Transportation (OST) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Preparation and coordination continued in support of upcoming data collection activities at the various OST locations. Close out activities are scheduled.

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Service Center Personnel Security Clearance Program Special Review: Onsite review and close-out activities are scheduled to be conducted coincident with the OST inspection.

Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) Security Special Review: Preparation continued in support of this special review. Initial and additional data collection activities are scheduled. A final report will be issued in November. This special review will focus on the protection afforded classified parts shipped from DOE sites to WIPP, located in Carlsbad, NM.

Chemical and Biological Agent Facilities Special Review : Onsite data collection activities were conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in support of this special review of select DOE bio-safety facilities. Onsite closeout activities are scheduled. This review is being conducted in order to characterize the protection and emergency response programs associated with the expanding work for others efforts involving chemical and biological agents. This will be a joint review conducted by the Offices of Safeguards and Security Evaluations and Emergency management Oversight. Special review activities are also planned to be conducted at other DOE locations.

Nevada Test Site (NTS) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Factual accuracy comments on the draft report are expected from NTS by the end of this week (September 16).

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments on the Y-12 CAP have been developed and have been provided to OA management for review.

Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico (SNL-NM) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments were developed and provided to OA management for review.

Annual Security Self-Assessment: A draft of the final report was circulated for review this week. The results of the self-assessment are scheduled to be published by September 30. The self-assessment evaluated internal security measures and the protection afforded classified information stored in SSA offices at the Forrestal and Germantown facilities.

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned Report: Work continued on the draft report following comments provided by the internal review board. The final report will be distributed to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and Energy, Science, and Environment (ESE) security managers.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations

Cyber Security Improvement Initiative: In partnership with the Office of Science (SC) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), programmatic review activities were conducted at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in support of the cyber security site assistance visit initiative. Penetration testing is scheduled to be performed. This initiative is being conducted to address the Department's systemic cyber security issues.

Annual Evaluation Report for the Department of Energy's Classified Information System Security Program: Development of this year's annual evaluation report continued. Comments on the draft evaluation report from OCIO and program offices inspected this year are due this week. OA has been assigned the responsibility of preparing an annual evaluation of the Department's classified information system security program as required by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Classified cyber security inspections were conducted at various DOE/NNSA sites to provide the information for this year's annual evaluation.

Continuous Network Scanning Program: DOE sites identified during the perimeter scanning project continue to be added to the scanning program as points of contact are established, Internet protocol ranges are verified, and reports are generated and submitted for validation by the sites. This program is being conducted in support of the Secretary's Security Initiatives.

Unannounced Cyber Security Penetration Testing: Comments on the final draft reports are due from the National Training Center (NTC) and the NNSA Service Center next week (September 21). Unannounced penetration testing of additional DOE/NNSA sites continued. This program also supports the security initiatives. The Director, OA-20, is scheduled to participate in a briefing to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee Staff regarding this effort.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The final CAP from the OCIO is overdue. A security review of the DEAR software application managed by the OCIO was performed in response to concerns raised by the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU).

Office of Emergency Management Oversight

National Response Assets Inspection Planning: Performance testing planning continued in support of the Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) inspection scheduled to be conducted. The inspection team leader is scheduled to attend Senior Energy Official training courses in Shepardstown, WV, to better understand departmental expectations for RAP team leader roles and responsibilities.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Emergency Management Inspection: Onsite coordination with ORNL continued this week in support of this inspection. The Team Leader met with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) to review the scope of the planned inspection. Onsite data collection; and validation and closeout activities are scheduled. The scope of the inspection will include selected areas of ORNL's Emergency Management Program and will also include limited scope performance testing. This inspection is being conducted coincident with the Chemical and Biological Agent Facilities Special Review.

Pantex Site Emergency Management Inspection: The site had no comments on the final draft report. A final report is being developed for distribution.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The interim CAP is due from LLNL by the end of this week (September 16).

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

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) ES&H Inspection: Coordination with site management continued this week in support of upcoming inspection activities. The inspection plan was provided to the site last week (September 8). Onsite planning and data collection activities are scheduled.

Kansas City Plant (KCP) Follow-Up Review: A follow-up review has been scheduled to be conducted at KCP at the request of site management. The on-site review is scheduled. The follow-up review will provide feedback on the status of the site office oversight program.

Y-12 National Security Complex ES&H Inspection: Onsite validation and closeout activities were conducted. Site comments on the final draft report are due on September 23.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The CAP is expected in October.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The CAP is overdue; it was expected from the site September 2.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Environment, Safety, and Health Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Review of the CAP was completed and a draft memo has been prepared to provide feedback on the CAP.

ES&H Lessons Learned Reports: Development of the Unreviewed Safety Question Process lessons learned report continued. Comments provided by EH on the draft Unreviewed Safety Question Process Lessons Learned Report are being reviewed for consideration and resolution. The report is scheduled to be provided to the OA Quality Review Board sometime next week (September 19-23). Five additional focus areas are being evaluated as part of the ES&H inspections being conducted during CY 2005.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2004-1 Implementation Plan and Working Group: Continued to support implementation plan activities regarding the 2004-1 Recommendation. OA representatives have been designated to support many of the working groups including the development of the nuclear safety oversight manual and ISM Manuals, and the ISM work planning and an ISM feedback and improvement working groups.

Draft Oversight Order 226.1: The Order was forwarded to the Secretary for final approval.

Criticality Safety Support Group (CSSG) Meeting: OA staff are scheduled to attend the CSSG meeting in Oak Ridge, TN.