[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

November 24, 2004

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20004-2901

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

This letter is to inform you that Commitment 121 of Revision 2 to the Implementation Plan for Stabilization and Storage of Nuclear Material for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 2000-1 (July 2002) is complete. �This commitment required the selection of a treatment process for the containerized K-West Basin sludge. �Selection of the treatment process was completed on November 15, 2004.

 

The selected treatment process will oxidize any metallic uranium in the sludge prior to grouting the sludge into a final waste form. �The resultant waste will provide for safer interim storage of the sludge waste until an off-site disposal facility is available to accept these wastes.

 

If you have any further questions concerning these issues, please call Dr. Ines Triay, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, at (202) 586-0738 or Keith Klein, Manager, Richland Operations Office, at (509) 376-7395.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul M. Golan

Acting Assistant Secretary for

Environmental Management

 

cc: ��Ines Triay, EM-3

M. Whitaker, DR-1

K. Klein, RL