January 29, 1999, DOE letter forwarding the quarterly report per the 93-5 implementation plan.

[DOE LETTERHEAD]
RICHLAND OPERATIONS OFFICE

January 29, 1999

The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004

Dear Mr. Chairman:

TRANSMITTAL OF THE DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD (DNFSB) RECOMMENDATION 93-5 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (IP) QUARTERLY REPORT FOR OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER 1998

The DNFSB Quarterly Report for October through December 1998 is attached. This quarterly Report addresses issues and milestones as presented in Recommendation 93-5 IP, Revision 1.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operation Office (RL) staff have completed several significant technical achievements this quarter. The final technical basis report HNF-SD- WM-CN-058, dated August 1998, "Organic Complexant Topical Report," was submitted on November 25, 1998, to complete 93-5 milestone 5.4.3.3b, "Letter reporting results of testing completion (using real waste samples) to confirm safe storage criteria, and organic solubility and aging effects on fuel content. If models are confirmed, an assessment of tank wastes compared to safety storage criteria will be scheduled." Based on this report, RL closed the condensed- phase organic nitrate Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) on October 28, 1998, and subsequently, approved the closure of the Organic Complexant Safety Issue and removed 18 organic complexant tanks born the Watchlist (Public Law 101-510, Section 3137) on September 9, 1998. The following two additional DNFSB Milestones were completed during this quarter:

5.4.3.6c, "Letter Reporting Initiation of Tank C-106 Waste Retrieval," November 25, 1998; and
5.6.3.li, "Update Tank Content Models or Define Limitations of the Models;" December 28, 1998.

Tank C-106 sluicing operation initiated on November 18, 1998, was suspended after the air samples taken from the ventilation system exceeded the permit limit of 50-parts-per-million volatile organic compounds level. Problems have been identified. It is estimated that the restart of sluicing will be delayed until March 1999. This delay will slip the expected completion of milestone 5.4.3.6d, "Letter reporting completion of topical report to resolve the High Heat Safety Issue," later than December 1999.

The shipment of waste samples, using the PAS-1 cask, to BNFL Incorporated continued as scheduled.

On January 6, 1999, Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) was incorporated into the Office of River Protection (ORP).

If you have any questions, please contact me or your staff may contact Jackson Kinzer, Acting Manager for ORP, on (509) 376-7591.

Sincerely,

James C. Hall
Acting Manager

Attachment

cc w/attach:
J.M. Owendoff, EM-1
C.A. Peabody, EM-4
R.E. Lightner, EM-38
K.T. Lang, EM-38
A.F. Wellner, FDH
M.A. Payne, LMHC (w/o attach)
W.E. Ross, LMHC (w/o attach)
M.B. Whitaker, S-3.1

Note: The attachment is available in [PDF].