[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

February 3, 2004

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Ave, NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20004

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

This letter provides an interim response to your letter of November 7, 2003, regarding the retrieval, storage, and disposal of the waste drums at Richland containing Pu-238.

 

The waste drums containing Pu-238, or any other waste in the burial grounds, will not be retrieved until a plan for safe retrieval, storage, and a disposition path is agreed upon.  Although an evaluation has been initiated and archived record retrieval is ongoing, completion of the plan will consume several months.  Retrieval of the waste drums containing Pu-238 is anticipated in the June 2004 timeframe.  The enclosure provides background information on the material, the disposal paths being evaluated and challenges being encountered.

 

I will provide the Board an update on these issues by May 28, 2004.  If you have any questions, please call me at (202) 586-0738.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Inés Triay

Deputy Chief Operating Officer

Office of Environmental Management

 

Enclosure

Note:  Please call Patty Bubar at 202.586.5151 for a copy of the enclosure.

 

cc:    Keith Klein, RL Mark Whitaker, DR-1

Document transmitted Contains OUO information