[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 66269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31960]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


DOE Implementation Plan for Recommendation 96-1 of the Defense 
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, In-Tank Precipitation System at the 
Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board published 
Recommendation 96-1, concerning the In-Tank Precipitation System at the 
Savannah River Site, in the Federal Register on August 23, 1996 (61 FR 
43534). Section 315(e) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 
U.S.C. 2286d(e) requires the Department of Energy to transmit an 
implementation plan to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board 
after acceptance of the Recommendation by the Secretary. The 
Department's implementation plan was sent to the Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board on November 12, 1996, and is available for 
review in the Department of Energy Public Reading Rooms.

DATES: Comments, or views concerning the implementation plan are due on 
or before January 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send Comments, data, or views concerning the implementation 
plan to: Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Road 
1, Aiken, South Carolina 29801. Attention: Mr. Lee Watkins, Assistant 
Manager for High Level Waste.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Lee Watkins, Assistant Manager for High Level Waste, Department of 
Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Road 1, Aiken, South Carolina 
29801.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 1996.
Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.,
Departmental Representative to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
Board.

November 12, 1996.
The Honorable John T. Conway,
Chairman, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625 Indiana 
Avenue, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20004

    Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter forwards the Department's 
implementation plan for addressing the issues raised in the Defense 
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's Recommendation 96-1.
    The implementation plan presents a comprehensive strategy to 
resolve the safety issues related to the benzene generation at the 
In-Tank Precipitation Facility. The implementation plan addresses 
three major areas of investigation regarding the chemical and 
physical mechanisms of benzene generation, retention, and release. 
The consolidation and evaluation of the specific laboratory tests 
will provide the information necessary to revise the Authorization 
Basis and indicate any modifications needed to resume full operation 
of the facility.
    The implementation plan was prepared by Mr. Lee Watkins, 
Assistant Manager for High Level Waste, Savannah River Operations 
Office, in coordination with senior Department managers and Defense 
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board staff. We appreciate your staff's 
dedication and support of the development of this plan.

        Sincerely,
Hazel R. O'Leary
[FR Doc. 96-31960 Filed 12-16-96; 8:45 am]
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