[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 6908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3374]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


DOE Response to Recommendation 2002-3 of the Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board, Requirements for the Design, Implementation, 
and Maintenance of Administrative Controls

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 
2002-3, concerning the requirements for the design, implementation, and 
maintenance of administrative controls at Department of Energy Defense 
Nuclear Facilities was published in the Federal Register on December 
20, 2002 (67 FR 77963). In accordance with section 315(b) of the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2286d(b), the Secretary 
transmitted the following response to the Defense Nuclear Facilities 
Safety Board on January 31, 2003.

DATES: Comments, data, views, or arguments concerning the Secretary's 
response are due on or before March 3, 2003.

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, DC 20004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Cook, Assistant Secretary. 
Office of Environment, Safety, and Health, Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 3, 2003.
Mark B. Whitaker, Jr.,
Departmental Representative to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
Board.

The Secretary of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

January 31, 2003.

The Honorable John T. Conway, Chairman, Defense Nuclear Facilities 
Safety Board, 625 Indiana Avenue, NW., Suite 700, Washington, DC 
20004

    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Department of Energy (Department) 
acknowledges receipt of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety 
Board's (Board) Recommendation 2002-3, Requirements for the Design, 
Implementation, and Maintenance of Administrative Controls. 
Recommendation 2002-3 was issued on December 11, 2002 and published 
in the Federal Register on December 20, 2002. The Department agrees 
that we must assure the critical assumptions used in defining and 
analyzing the basis for safe operations are properly developed, 
appropriately implemented, and effectively preserved. If the 
critical assumptions depend on administrative controls, we agree 
those controls should be treated appropriately. Therefore, the 
Department accepts the recommendation and will develop an 
implementation plan to respond to the recommendation.
    The Department of Energy's (DOE) implementation plan will 
address how we will review existing DOE requirements and guidance to 
determine where further consolidation or clarification is needed to 
assure proper focus on those administrative controls that perform 
important safety functions similar to safety-class or safety-
significant controls. Additionally, the plan will address how we 
will evaluate safety basis documents to identify administrative 
controls critical to preventing or mitigating accident consequences. 
We will strengthen our processes to ensure those critical 
administrative controls are properly implemented.
    I have asked the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and 
Health, Beverly Cook, to ensure the successful completion of the 
implementation plan we will develop in response to your 
recommendation. Mr. Richard Black, Director of the Office of Nuclear 
and Facility Safety Policy, is the responsible manager for the 
preparation of the Department's implementation plan.

Sincerely,

Spencer Abraham.

[FR Doc. 03-3374 Filed 2-10-03; 8:45 am]
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