[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 26298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-12496]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


DOE Response to Recommendation 97-1 of the Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board, Safe Storage of Uranium-233

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board published 
Recommendation 97-1, concerning the safe storage of uranium-233, on 
March 11, 1997 (62 FR 11160). Section 315(b) of the Atomic Energy Act 
of 1954, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2286d(b) required the Department of 
Energy to transmit a response to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
Board by April 25, 1997. The Secretary's response follows.

DATES: Comments, data, views, or arguments concerning the Secretary's 
response are due on or before June 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, data, views, or arguments concerning the 
Secretary's response to: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625 
Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Stallman, Deputy Assistant 
Manager for Facility Operations, Department of Energy, Idaho Operations 
Office, 850 Energy Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83401-1563.

    Issued in Washington, D.C., on May 7, 1997.
Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.
Departmental Representative to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
Board.

The Secretary of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

April 25, 1997

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 acknowledges receipt of your 
Recommendation 97-1 issued on March 3, 1997, concerning the safe 
storage of uranium-233 material. As you noted in your 
recommendation, the Department has recently completed a safety 
review of issues associated with highly enriched uranium. The 
Department's Highly Enriched Uranium Vulnerability Study identifies 
many of the concerns expressed in your recommendation. A management 
plan to address the issues in the Highly Enriched Uranium 
Vulnerability Study is currently being developed under the 
leadership of Defense Programs.
    The Department accepts Recommendation 97-1. The process of 
assigning organizational responsibility for this effort will require 
further review. I am reserving our response to this issue until I 
have the opportunity to review the results of ongoing Department 
studies related to this matter.
    The Department will use a systems engineering approach to manage 
the implementation of this recommendation. Needed actions identified 
as a result of a systems engineering study will be incorporated into 
the Department's budget formulation process and will be worked in 
conjunction with other related activities in progress. These 
activities include applicable elements of the Department's 94-1 
Implementation Plan, the Environmental Management ten-year planning 
process, and the Highly Enriched Uranium Vulnerability Management 
Plan, currently under development.
    It is the Department's understanding that spent nuclear fuel 
containing uranium-233 is not within the scope of Recommendation 97-
1. In addition, I understand that uranium-233 safety concerns 
related to the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment at Oak Ridge are being 
addressed in the Recommendation 94-1 Implementation Plan on 
improving schedules for remediation and stabilization of nuclear 
materials.
    Mr. Robert Stallman, Deputy Assistant Manager for Facility 
Operations, Idaho Operations Office, is the responsible manager for 
the preparation of the Implementation Plan. He will work with you 
and your staff to develop an acceptable Implementation Plan meeting 
our mutual expectations. He can be reached at (208) 526-1995.
    Sincerely,
Federico F. Pena
[FR Doc. 97-12496 Filed 5-12-97; 8:45 am]
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