[DOE LETTERHEAD]

October 29, 1999

The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC. 20004

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Recommendation 93-5 encouraged acceleration of the sampling and evaluation of Hanford tank wastes in support of safe operation. The Department has completed the commitments identified under its implementation plan for this recommendation, and proposes closure of the recommendation.

A summary of responsive actions is provided in enclosure one. The second enclosure identifies the documentation of technical resolution for each commitment in the Department's current Implementation Plan. The third enclosure identifies documentation of closure for commitments from the previous revision of the Implementation Plan. The Department has completed the commitments identified under its implementation plan for this recommendation, and proposes closure of the recommendation.

Hanford tank waste characterization will continue for tank monitoring, tank waste movements, and for planning waste disposition. The Department's Office of River Protection is functioning effectively using Integrated Safety Management to support safe disposition of the tank wastes. Sampling and analysis processes have been institutionalized and integrated with work planning. The intent of this recommendation is met.

The Department is pleased with the constructive efforts of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board in focusing on risk reduction for the Hanford tanks. If you have any questions, please contact me or have your staff contact Ms. Carolyn L. Huntoon, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, at (202) 586-7710 or Mr. Mark W. Frei, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Waste Management, Environmental Management, at (202) 586-0370.

Yours sincerely,

Bill Richardson
Secretary

Enclosures

This enclosure is available in [PDF].