[DOE LETTERHEAD]
June 1, 2005
The Honorable A.
J. Eggenberger
Acting Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite
700
Washington, D.C. 20004-2901
Dear Dr. Eggenberger:
This is in response to the
November 7, 2003, letter from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
(Board) regarding the retrieval, storage, and disposal of the Hanford waste
drums containing Pu-238. The initial
response from the Department of Energy on February 3, 2004, provided historical
data, challenges faced, and activities being done to provide a plan to safely
retrieve and disposition the Pu-238 drums. A follow-up letter was sent on May 25, 2004, with a description
of the processing paths and remaining actions and a commitment to continue to
update the Board.
The plan for the Hanford Pu-238
drums is outlined in the enclosure. This
plan provides a path that will minimize radiation exposure to workers, uses
already existing processes with personnel already experienced in handling Pu-238,
and requires little to no changes to existing regulatory documents.
If you have any further
questions, please call me at (202) 586-7709 or Ms. Patrice M. Bubar, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Integrated Safety Management and Operations Oversight,
at (202) 586-5151.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Anderson
Principal Deputy Assistant
Secretary
for Environmental Management