Highlights for July 11 - July 15, 2005

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Office of Secure Transportation (OST) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Service Center Special Review: Preparations continued for the inspection and special review. Changes to the inspection dates are being proposed.

Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) Safeguards and Security Special Review: Development of the inspection plan with lines of inquiry and inspection methodology continued. A special review of selected aspects of safeguards and security to include the protection afforded classified parts shipped from DOE sites to WIPP located in Carlsbad, NM, is scheduled to be conducted.

Nevada Test Site (NTS) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Onsite inspection planning and data collection activities were conducted this week (July 11-15). A second data collection visit is scheduled. Representatives from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) are scheduled to observe portions of the force-on-force performance exercises.

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: The final draft report is scheduled to be forwarded to OA management for approval next week (July 18-22). This inspection was part of a combined OA-10 and OA-20 inspection.

Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico (SNL-NM) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A response is scheduled to be sent to the site indicating that the interim CAP was found to adequately address identified issues. A final CAP is expected from the site in August.

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned Report: Modifications to the report have been completed and an internal OA review and Quality Review Board is scheduled for next week (July 21). The report is based on safeguard and security inspection results from 2002 to 2005, and will be distributed to National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and Energy, Science, and Environment (ESE) security managers.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Cyber Security Improvement Initiative: Preliminary strategy meetings were conducted this week with OA, NNSA, ESE, and OCIO pending formal approval of this initiative. An action memorandum was presented to the Executive Secretariat to obtain approval of the initiative from the Deputy Secretary. OA and the OCIO are jointly sponsoring a cyber security improvement initiative within the Department. The initiative has a number of phases, including the analysis of causal factors associated with the Department's systemic poor cyber security performance; the development of additional cyber security expectations for DOE line organizations; and the conduct of site assistance visits (SAVs) to evaluate site performance against DOE security expectations.

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Classified Cyber Security Inspection: The final report is being prepared for management review. Y-12 had no comments to the cyber security portion of the draft final report. This was part of a combined inspection with OA 10.

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 and Internet protocol ranges are verified. This program is being conducted in support of the Secretary's Security Initiatives.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Development of comments to the interim CAP, received from SNL were completed and are under management review. This inspection was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

South-Eastern Power Administration (SEPA) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A final CAP was received from SEPA and is under review.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The final CAP is due from the OCIO by the end of July. 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 (OA-30)

Pantex Site Emergency Management Inspection: Onsite planning and performance test development were conducted this week (July 11-13). Onsite data collection activities are scheduled.

National Response Assets Inspection Planning: Preparations continued to observe a national response exercise at a Department of Defense (DoD) facility. An inspection plan is under development in coordination with NA 40 in support of the Radiological Assistance Program inspection to be conducted in CY 2006.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Inspection: Written comments to the draft final report are expected from the site by the end of this week (July 15).

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Emergency Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): An interim CAP from the Sandia Site Office (SSO) is expected by next week (July 19). SSO is now seeking an extension to the development of the emergency management portion of the final CAP. This inspection was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) Emergency Response Exercise: The final report of the June 14 exercise was transmitted to OE this week.

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

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) ES&H Inspection: Onsite scoping, planning, and data collection activities scheduled.

Y-12 National Security Complex ES&H Inspection: Onsite planning and data collection activities scheduled.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) ES&H Inspection: Site comments on the draft report are due back to OA this week (July 15).

Worker Vapor Exposure and Occupational Medicine Allegations at the Hanford Site Follow-Up: Site comments to the final draft have been resolved and the report is in final editing and publication.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) ES&H Inspection: A corrective action plan (CAP) is expected from the site and CSO in August.from ANL have been received and are under review. A briefing to discuss inspection findings was provided to Environment, Safety, and Health last week (May 31).

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Environment, Safety, and Health Management Inspection: A corrective action plan is expected form the site in August.

Pantex Plant (Pantex) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments regarding the CAP were sent to the site. A response is expected from the Pantex Site Office.

ES&H Lessons Learned Reports: Development of the Unreviewed Safety Question Process lessons learned report continued. Six additional focus areas are being evaluated as part of the ES&H inspections being conducted during CY 2005.

Draft Oversight Order 226.1: Discussions were conducted with DNFSB, NNSA, EM, and DR staff last week (July 8) regarding DNFSB staff comments to the draft Order. A comment resolution matrix and revised Order are scheduled to be provided to DNFSB by the end of this week (July 15).

National Training Center (NTC) Safety Professional Development Program: Continued to support the NTC in developing a "General Technical Base Qualification" course. The initial prototype testing was completed in June (10 students participated). The course is currently being revised / converted to a new platform and is expected to be posted to DOE's Online Learning Center web page for further testing by the end of July. The new course will be presented during the first half of August.