[US LETTERHEAD]
March 3, 2003
The Honorable John T. Conway
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue NW, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Mr. Chairman:
Thank you for your letter dated February 28,
2003, asking if a new policy will be used to obtain the Board comments when the
Department makes changes to safety orders and other safety standards as a
result of the recent Order review process.
I want to assure you that, as expressed in
my letter of February 14, 2003, the Department will follow the long-established
protocol for the review of draft safety directives in which both the Board and
the Department review in parallel proposed changes to existing safety orders
and other safety standards prior to issuance and implementation. Proposed changes to draft safety orders or
other safety standards will be provided to the Board for review and comment
through the Office of the Departmental Representative to the Board.
If you have any questions, please contact me
at 202-586-7700 or Richard Hopf at 202-586-8613.
Sincerely,