[DNFSB LETTERHEAD]
January 9, 2003
The Honorable
Spencer Abraham
Secretary of
Energy
1000 Independence
Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
20585-1000
Dear Secretary
Abraham:
The Defense
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) has reviewed your letter of November
22, 2002, transmitting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Quality Assurance Improvement Plan for
Defense Nuclear Facilities. This plan describes DOE’s proposed actions to
improve the implementation of quality assurance as practiced by both DOE and
its contractors in the design, procurement, construction, operation, and
maintenance of vital safety systems.
The Board
considers that the proposed actions in the plan when implemented should result
in improved quality assurance practices at defense nuclear facilities. Given that several of the proposed actions
will require further definition as more information is gained during the
implementation phase, the Board requests DOE to provide updates or revisions to
the plan reflecting these developments.
The Board also notes that DOE plans to evaluate the effectiveness of
these actions in improving the quality of vital safety systems. The Board requests to be kept informed of
results of the DOE evaluations.
Sincerely,
Chairman
c: Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.