[DNFSB LETTERHEAD]

 

November 21, 2006

 

The Honorable Samuel W. Bodman

Secretary of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20585-1000

 

Dear Secretary Bodman:

 

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) received your letter of October 12, 2006, enclosing the revised Implementation Plan (IP) for the Board’s Recommendation 2004-1, Oversight of Complex, High-Hazard Nuclear Operations.  The Board has reviewed the IP and finds it to be responsive to the Recommendation.

 

The Board would also like to take this opportunity to close Recommendation 95-2, Safety Management.  The Recommendation 2004-1 IP and the recently issued Department of Energy (DOE) Manual 450.4-1, Integrated Safety Management System Manual, contain the actions necessary to reinvigorate Integrated Safety Management (ISM).  In addition, DOE has taken an especially important step toward reinvigorating ISM by creating an ISM Champions Council, chaired by a DOE-wide ISM Champion appointed by the Deputy Secretary.  This council is chartered not only to support line management, but also to act as a catalyst for furthering ISM implementation throughout the DOE complex.  Should DOE fully support the actions of the council as identified in DOE Manual 450.4-1 and complete the actions of the IP for Recommendation 2004-1, the objectives of Recommendation 95-2 should be implemented as effectively as first envisioned by the Board.

 

The Board’s staff will continue to maintain close contact with DOE representatives to follow progress toward implementing Recommendation 2004-1.

 

Sincerely,

 

A. J. Eggenberger

Chairman

 

c:   The Honorable J. Clay Sell

The Honorable Linton Brooks

The Honorable James A. Rispoli

Mr. Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.