[DNFSB
LETTERHEAD]
May 14, 2004
The Honorable Linton Brooks
Administrator
National Nuclear Security
Administration
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585-0701
Dear Ambassador Brooks:
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety
Board (Board) has received a letter dated April 30, 2004,
from the
National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in response to the Board’s request
of January 27, 2004, for a report on conduct of engineering at Los Alamos
National Laboratory (LANL). NNSA
requests an extension of 90 days to satisfy the Board’s request.
Enclosed with the NNSA letter
was a letter from LANL giving brief progress reports on nine initiatives
designed to enhance conduct of engineering and the implementation of Department
of Energy Order 420.1A,
Facility
Safety, for
facility work. LANL’s letter also stated
that the laboratory is establishing a single site-wide engineering program for
both facility and nonfacility work and described steps being taken to
significantly improve conduct of engineering at LANL. In addition, the Board was briefed on LANL’s
progress on March 15, 2004.
In view of the progress made at
LANL, the Board agrees to a 90-day extension of the due date for the requested
report.
Sincerely,
John T. Conway
Chairman
c: The Honorable Everet H. Beckner
The
Honorable Jessie Hill Roberson
Mr.
Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.