[DOE LETTERHEAD]
National
Nuclear Security Administration
April 26, 2006
The Honorable A. J. Eggenberger
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board
625 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Suite
700
Washington, D.C. 20004-2901
Dear Mr. Chairman:
In your letter of November 28,
2005, you requested a report and briefing within 60 days on additional actions
that will be taken to address concerns over the review and assessment approach
being applied by the NNSA Nevada Site Office (NSO) to the Device Assembly
Facility (DAF) at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The Board expressed concern with reliance upon
the DAF Safety Basis Implementation Plan (SBIP) coupled with the readiness
review process to ensure the adequacy of safety management programs and vital
safety systems. In light of future activities that are either planned (e.g., Criticality
Experiments Facility) or being considered for the DAF, the Board advised that NNSA
reconsider the current strategy and adopt a more proactive and comprehensive approach.
The Board was provided a
briefing on February 1, 2006. Based on
feedback at the briefing and discussions with NNSA Headquarters staff and NSO
management, clarification was received on the Board’s concerns. The enclosed report from NSO describes the
planned actions, including phased assessments of all DAF safety management
programs and vital safety systems, which will lead to improvements in the federal
oversight and assessment program. I
believe that these actions are responsive to the Board’s concerns for a more proactive
and Comprehensive approach.
If you have any questions,
please contact me, or have your staff contact Mike Thompson of my office at
(301) 903-5648 or R. T. Brock, Nevada Site Office, at (702) 295-0892.
Sincerely,
Linton F. Brooks
Administrator
cc: M. Whitaker, DR-1
K.
Carlson, NSO