3670-01
Pursuant to the
provisions of the “Government in the Sunshine Act” (5 U.S.C. § 552b), notice is hereby given of the
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board’s (Board) meeting described below. The Board will also conduct a series of
public hearings pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §2286b and invites any interested persons or
groups to present any comments, technical information, or data concerning
safety issues related to the matters to be considered.
TIME AND DATE
OF MEETING: 9:00 - 12:00 a.m., September 10, 2003.
PLACE:
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Public Hearing Room, 625
Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite
300, Washington, DC 20004-2001.
Additionally, as a part of the Board’s
E-Government initiative, the meeting will be presented live through Internet
video streaming. A link to this presentation will be available on the home page
of the Board’s web site (www.dnfsb.gov).
STATUS:
Open. While the Government in
the Sunshine Act does not require that the scheduled discussion be conducted in
a meeting, the Board has determined that an open meeting in this specific case
furthers the public interests underlying both the Sunshine Act and the Board’s
enabling legislation.
MATTERS TO BE
CONSIDERED:
The Board is
reviewing the Department of Energy’s (DOE) current oversight and management of
the contracts and contractors it relies upon to accomplish the mission assigned
to DOE under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. We will focus on what impact, if any, DOE ‘s
new initiatives may have upon assuring adequate protection of the health and
safety of the public and workers at DOE’s defense nuclear facilities. Over the next several months, we will
conduct a series of public meetings to collect information needed to understand
and address any health or safety concerns that may require Board Action. This will include, but is not limited to,
presentations by DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to
explain their contract management and oversight initiatives; presentations by
federal and industry experts in contracting for essential and high risk
government services; and possibly further presentations by DNFSB staff.
The Board has
identified several key areas that will be better examined in a public meeting. In the September 10th meeting, the Board
will hear from representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NCR),
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the commercial
nuclear sector, and the aerospace industry.
The information gathered at that time will explore federal contract
management and oversight experience in various organizations and will provide
relevant reference experience. In
subsequent public meetings, the Board will explore in depth federal management
and oversight policies being developed by DOE and NNSA for defense nuclear
facilities. DOE and NNSA will be
invited to discuss their new approaches to contract reform, contractor
self-assessment, and federal oversight.
The public hearing portion is independently authorized by 42 U.S.C. § 2286b.
CONTACT PERSON
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Kenneth M. Pusateri, General Manager, Defense
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington,
DC 20004-2901, (800) 788-4016. This is
a toll-free number.
SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION: Requests to speak at the hearing may be
submitted in writing or by telephone.
We ask that commentators describe the nature and scope of their oral
presentation. Those who contact the
Board prior to close of business on September 9, 2003, will be scheduled for
time slots, beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. The Board will post a schedule for those speakers who have
contacted the Board before the hearing.
The posting will be made at the entrance to the Public Hearing Room at
the start of the 9:00 a.m. meeting.
Anyone who wishes
to comment or provide technical information or data may do so in writing,
either in lieu of, or in addition to, making an oral presentation. The Board Members may question presenters to
the extent deemed appropriate.
Documents will be accepted at the meeting or may be sent to the Defense
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board’s Washington, DC,
office. The Board will hold the record
open until October 10, 2003, for the receipt of additional materials. A transcript of the meeting will be made
available by the Board for inspection by the public at the Defense Nuclear
Facilities Safety Board’s Washington office and at DOE’s public reading room at
the DOE Federal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585.
The Board
specifically reserves its right to further schedule and otherwise regulate the
course of the meeting and hearing, to recess, reconvene, postpone, or adjourn
the meeting and hearing, conduct further reviews, and otherwise exercise its power
under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.
Dated:
John T.
Conway,
Chairman.