Highlights for November 8 - November 12, 2004

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Site Assistance Visits (SAVs) for Design Basis Threat (DBT) Implementation: Onsite SAV activities continued at both Argonne National Laboratory-West and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The SAV teams developed draft reports summarizing the results of the visits. A lessons-learned meeting from these two visits is scheduled for next week (November 16) in Germantown, MD, to discuss methods to improve and streamline the process for future visits. 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): Preparations were completed for the final validation scheduled to be conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). A follow-up review is scheduled to be conducted at Sandia National Laboratories-California (SNL-CA). To date, 18 sites/organizations have been validated. An overall report summarizing the validation results will be completed following the LANL and SNL-CA reviews.

Special Access Program Oversight Committee (SAPOC) Briefing: The annual briefing summarizing inspection results to members of SAPOC scheduled for November 17 has been rescheduled for December 15.

Chemical -Biological (Chem-Bio) Agent Special Review: Planning continued this week with the Office of Emergency Management Evaluations (OA-30) in preparation for conducting onsite scoping activities at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Reviews are also scheduled for 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.

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.

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 is scheduled to be transmitted this week. Comments on the final draft inspection report were received from BPA and are being addressed.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Cyber Security Inspection. Onsite inspection activities are scheduled.

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP). Awaiting comments from the site regarding the final CAP.

Western Area Power Administration (Western) Cyber Security Inspection. Preparations continued in support of this inspection. Initial communications have begun 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. A conference call with key Western cyber security personnel is being scheduled for sometime next week (November 15-19).

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Chemical -Biological (Chem-Bio) Agent Special Review: Planning continued this week with the Office of Safeguard and Security Evaluations (OA-10) in preparation to conduct onsite scoping activities at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Activities included teleconferencing with OA-30 and LLNL personnel. The results of this special review may impact the implementation of current protection strategies across the Department.

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 by 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 to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (GDP), Piketon, OH, was completed this week. 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.

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

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory ES&H Inspection: Onsite validation and close-out activities are scheduled.

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.