[SOE LETTERHEAD]

 

August 8, 2005

 

The Honorable A. J. Eggenberger

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700

Washington, D.C. 20004

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

Enclosed is the Final Report to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) on Recommendation 99-1, which provides a summary of actions taken by the Department to resolve the issues contained in the Board’s August 1999 Recommendation 99-1, Identification of Issues Needing Resolution to Ensure the Long-Term Safety of Pits at Pantex.

 

The Department has implemented corrective actions to address the issues identified in Recommendation 99-1 and as of June 30, 2005, has completed repackaging more than 97 percent of the pits identified in the Secretary’s February 2000 implementation plan.  Repackaging of remaining pits is scheduled to be complete by September 30, 2005.

 

Major corrective actions implemented as a result of Recommendation 99-1 include:

 

• Development of the Pantex Pit Management Plan, which provides the high level framework utilized to ensure the safe storage and staging of all pits at the Pantex Site;
• Establishment of consistent program priority and funding by the Department to complete the repackaging effort;
• Development, testing, approval, and procurement of the AL-R8 (2030/2040) Sealed Insert containers needed to provide the appropriate environment for pits;
• Development of the Thermal Monitoring System in the pit storage and staging areas to provide monitoring data used to maintain a safe thermal environment for pits; and
• Implementation of a surveillance program for the AL-R8 (2030/2040) Sealed Insert containers, which will continue for the duration of pit storage at Pantex.

 

These actions have resulted in significant improvement to the Department’s ability to ensure safe handling and storage of special nuclear material at Pantex.  The Department welcomes the Board’s ongoing oversight and requests the Board to consider closing Recommendation 99-1.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Thomas P. D’Agostino, Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, at (202) 586-2179.

 

Sincerely,

 

Samuel W. Bodman

 

Enclosure

 

cc w/enclosure:

M. Whitaker, DR-1