Highlights for August 15 - August 19, 2005

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Office of Secure Transportation (OST) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Planning continued in support of upcoming data collection activities at the various OST locations. Performance testing is planned and close out activities are scheduled.

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Service Center Personnel Security Clearance Program Special Review: Planning activities, to include the initial review of requested documents, continued in support of the upcoming special review at the Service Center in Albuquerque, NM. Onsite review activities are scheduled to be conducted coincident with the OST inspection.

Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) Security Special Review: Scoping activities were conducted in support of a special review that will focus on the protection afforded classified parts shipped from DOE sites to WIPP, located in Carlsbad, NM. Data collection is scheduled. A final report will be issued in November.

Nevada Test Site (NTS) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Performance testing, report writing, and close out activities are scheduled. Representatives from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) are scheduled to observe portions of the force-on-force performance exercises.

Annual Security Self-Assessment: Initial data collection activities were completed last week in support of the annual security self-assessment. The self-assessment evaluated internal security measures and the protection afforded classified information stored in OA offices at the Forrestal and Germantown buildings. The results of the self-assessment will be included in a report that will be prepared in September.

Participation in the Office of Classification and Information Control (OCIC) Oversight Activity: OA-10 is scheduled to participate in an OCIC oversight review of classification programs at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Sandia National Laboratories-California (SNL-CA). This effort is being undertaken to achieve greater understanding and consistency within SSA in executing its oversight responsibilities.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Special Review of Safeguards and Security and Emergency Management of Chemical and Select Biological Agents: OA-10 and OA-30 will begin its Chem/Bio special review at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Data collection and closeout activities are scheduled. This review will characterize the protection and emergency response programs associated with the expanding work for others efforts involving chemical and biological agents. This will be a joint review conducted by the Offices of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10) and Emergency management Oversight (OA-30). Special review activities are also planned to be conducted at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in CY 2006.

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The interim CAP is expected by August 22.

Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico (SNL-NM) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): At the request of the Sandia Site Office, the final CAP will be sent to OA for review this week (August 19).

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned Report: Following comments provided by the internal review board, topic teams have identified major program shortfalls and notable practices based on safeguard and security inspection results from 2002 to 2005. This input will form the basis of a revised draft report. The revised draft report will undergo an additional internal review in September. The final report will be distributed to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and Energy, Science, and Environment (ESE) security managers.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Cyber Security Improvement Initiative: Cyber security site assistance visits in support of this initiative are scheduled to be conducted at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). Briefings on this initiative were given this week to the Department's Cyber Security Chiefs and to the Office of Fossil Energy's Information Technology Council. This initiative is being conducted to address the Department's systemic cyber security issues.

Annual Evaluation Report for the Department of Energy's Classified Information System Security Program. Development of this year's annual evaluation report continued. Discussions with the Office of the Chief Information Officer and NNSA are scheduled to be conducted prior to completion of the annual evaluation report. OA has been assigned the responsibility of preparing an annual evaluation of the Department's classified information system security program as required by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Classified cyber security inspections were conducted at various DOE/NNSA sites to provide the information for this year's annual evaluation.

Continuous Network Scanning Program: A briefing on the status and early results of this program was provided this week to OA-1. DOE sites identified during the perimeter scanning project continue to be added to the scanning program as points of contact are established and Internet protocol ranges are verified. This program is being conducted in support of the Secretary's Security Initiatives.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The final CAP is due this week (August 15). This inspection was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The final CAP from the OCIO is now overdue. A security review of the DEAR software application managed by the OCIO was performed in response to concerns raised by the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU).

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Emergency Management Inspection: Planning activities continue in support of this inspection to be conducted at ORNL. Scoping interviews are being conducted with the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology and the Office of Science program offices and with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The scope of the inspection will include selected areas of ORNL's Emergency Management Program and will also include limited scope performance testing. Onsite scoping, data collection, and closeout activities are scheduled. This inspection is being conducted in coordination with the Special Review of Safeguards and Security and Emergency Management of Chemical and Biological Agents.

Pantex Site Emergency Management Inspection: The initial draft report has been approved by OA and SSA management and forwarded to line management for review. Onsite validation and closeout activities are scheduled.

National Response Assets Inspection Planning: Preparations continued in support of observing a national response exercise at a Department of Defense (DoD) facility. An inspection plan in support of the Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) inspection to be conducted was approved by OA and SSA management and forwarded to the Office of Emergency Operations. The inspection team leader is scheduled to attend Senior Energy Official training courses in Shepardstown, WV, the week of September 19, to better understand departmental expectations for RAP team leader's roles and responsibilities.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Inspection: The final report was approved and forwarded to line management. The interim Corrective Action plan is due within 30 days.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Emergency Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): SSO has indicated the emergency management portion of the final CAP will be submitted to SSA this week (August 15). This activity was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Office of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Evaluations (OA-40)

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) ES&H Inspection: Onsite scoping activities are complete. Onsite planning and data collection activities are scheduled. Weekly conference calls are being conducted with site management to coordinate these activities.

Y-12 National Security Complex ES&H Inspection: Onsite planning activities are complete. Onsite data collection activities are scheduled.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) ES&H Inspection: The report is being prepared for distribution this week. A briefing was held with EH-1 on August 17.

Worker Vapor Exposure and Occupational Medicine Allegations at the Hanford Site Follow-Up: The final report was published and distributed last week (August 10). Briefings were conducted for EM-2 and EH-1 on August 17.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A CAP is expected from the site in August.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Environment, Safety, and Health Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A CAP is expected from the site in August.

ES&H Lessons Learned Reports: Development of the Unreviewed Safety Question Process lessons learned report continued. Five additional focus areas are being evaluated as part of the ES&H inspections being conducted during CY 2005.

Draft Oversight Order 226.1: DNFSB comments have been resolved and the Order has been transmitted to the Office of Management, Budget, and Evaluation (ME) for Secretarial approval.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2004-1 Implementation Plan: Supported implementation plan activities regarding the 2004-1 recommendation including the development of the safety oversight manual.

National Training Center (NTC) Safety Professional Development Program: Continued to support the NTC in developing a "General Technical Base Qualification" course. The course is currently undergoing prototype testing utilizing students from NNSA and EM. Senior OA-40 staff visited NTC this week to discuss the status of this course. Testing is expected to be completed and the course finalized during the first half of August.

Worker Safety Rule (10CFR 851): OA-40 attended a 10CFR 851 meeting to discuss the final phase of the rulemaking process.

Meeting with the New Vice President for Sandia National Laboratories (SNL): The OA-40 Director met with the new SNL Vice President on August 18. The Vice President has assumed responsibility for Sandia's ES&H functions and the Price Anderson/DNFSB office.

Meeting with Chief Defense Nuclear Safety: The Director, OA-40 met with the NNSA Chief Defense Nuclear Safety on August 17 to discuss scheduling of inspections at NNSA sites.