[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

National Nuclear Security Administration

 

October 31, 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:

 

Enclosed is the “Quarterly Report for the Implementation Plan Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 98-2, Accelerating Safety Management Improvements at the Pantex Plant,” for the period July 1 through September 30, 2003.

 

During this reporting period, the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration made progress toward completion of the 98-2 commitments and provided the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board a copy of the Pantex Plant Technical Safety Requirement (TSR) Integrated Implementation Plan (IP) in fulfillment of Commitment 4.3.3, “Develop Improved Site-Wide Technical Safety Requirement Controls for On-Site Transportation of Nuclear Explosives,” and received and implemented accelerated critical tooling for the W88 weapon program, a milestone under Commitment 4.4.7.  Enclosed is a copy of the final report “NNSA Pantex Site Office Readiness Assess Transportation Safety Analysis Report Module I Group II Implementation”.  The remaining Transportation Phase I controls have been incorporated into the Pantex Plant TSR IIP.  Since the W78 accelerated tooling deliverable has been incorporated into Commitment 4.4.5, we request that Commitment 4.4.7 be closed.  Twenty-two out of twenty-seven commitments have been delivered and five remain outstanding.

 

If you have questions, please me at 202-586-4879 or have your staff contact Ms. Debbie Volk at 505-845-5106.

 

Sincerely,

 

David E. Beck

Assistant Deputy Administrator

for Military Application and

Stockpile Operations

Defense Programs

 

Enclosures

 

Quarterly Report

PXSO Readiness Assessment Report

 

cc: w/enclosures:

J. McConnell, DNFSB

W. Andrews, DNFSB

A. Matteucci, DNFSB

M. Whitaker, DR-1

D. Glenn, PXSO