[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

April 21, 2003

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700

Washington, D.C. 20004-2901

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

I am writing in response to your letter dated March 7, 2003 concerning readiness preparations and the readiness review process at Hanford.  We have reviewed the observations noted in your letter and its attached Staff Issue Report concerning our efforts to improve readiness review implementation.  With regard to your specific observation on the need for formal training, we have completed the Department’s readiness review training at Headquarters, Hanford, and Idaho over the past six months.  A total of 89 people successfully completed the Team Member course and 37 people completed the Line Manager course.  The Richland Operations Office actions that address your observations have been discussed with your staff and are summarized in the enclosed paper.

 

If you have any further questions, please call me at (202) 586-7709.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jessie Hill Roberson

Assistant Secretary for

Environmental Management

 

Enclosure

 

cc:  Mark Whitaker, S-3.1

Paul M. Golan, EM-3

Keith A. Klein, RL