[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 211 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 61873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5446]



[[Page 61873]]

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DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD


Sunshine Act Meeting

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the ``Government in the Sunshine 
Act'' (5 U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given of the Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board's (Board) public hearing and meeting described 
below. The Board will conduct a public hearing and meeting pursuant to 
42 U.S.C. 2286b and invites any interested persons or groups to present 
any comments, technical information, or data concerning safety issues 
related to the matters to be considered.

Time and Date of Meeting: 6 p.m., December 5, 2007.

Place: Duane W. Smith Auditorium, 1400 Diamond Drive, Los Alamos, New 
Mexico 87544. Additionally, as part of the Board's E-Government 
initiative, the hearing and meeting will be video recorded. A link to 
the video recording will be available on the Board's Web site (http://www.dnfsb.gov) following the hearing and meeting.

Status: Open. While the Government in the Sunshine Act does not require 
that the scheduled discussion be conducted in a meeting, the Board has 
determined that an open meeting in this specific case furthers the 
public interests underlying both the Sunshine Act and the Board's 
enabling legislation.

Matters to be Considered: In this public hearing and meeting, the Board 
will assess the safety posture at Los Alamos National Laboratory 
(LANL), including actions taken in response to the Board's letter, 
dated February 1, 2007, to the Acting Administrator of the National 
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In that letter, the Board 
suggested actions that would substantially improve the safety posture 
of the laboratory. These actions include strengthening federal safety 
oversight, improving safety bases and ensuring the efficacy of safety 
systems, developing effective institutional safety programs, 
eliminating known hazards, and increasing federal management of new 
projects. The Board anticipates testimony from the laboratory's 
management and operation contractor, Los Alamos National Security 
(LANS), and senior management officials from NNSA regarding actions, 
both taken and planned, to improve the health and safety of workers at 
defense nuclear facilities at the laboratory and the public. Under the 
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Board is required, among 
other things, to review and evaluate the content and implementation of 
standards relating to the design, construction, operation, and 
decommissioning of Department of Energy (DOE) defense nuclear 
facilities, including all applicable DOE orders, regulations, and 
requirements pertaining to such facilities. The Board is also 
responsible for investigating any event or practice at DOE defense 
nuclear facilities which the Board determines has adversely affected, 
or may adversely affect, the health and safety of the workers and the 
public. In this December 5, 2007, hearing and meeting, the Board will 
examine how NNSA and LANS will ensure adequate protection of the public 
health and safety, including that of the workers, and safety 
performance at laboratory defense nuclear facilities. The Board will 
collect information needed to understand and address any health or 
safety concerns that may require Board action with respect to 
operations at defense nuclear facilities at LANL. This information will 
include, but is not limited to, presentations from NNSA and LANS senior 
management officials and NNSA Los Alamos Site Office personnel. The 
public hearing portion of this proceeding is authorized by 42 U.S.C. 
2286b.

Contact Person for More Information: Brian Grosner, General Manager, 
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625 Indiana Avenue, NW., Suite 
700, Washington, DC 20004-2901, (800) 788-4016. This is a toll-free 
number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests to speak at the hearing and meeting 
may be submitted in writing or by telephone. The Board asks that 
commentators describe the nature and scope of their oral presentation. 
Those who contact the Board prior to 4 p.m. EST on December 4, 2007, 
will be scheduled for time slots. While the hearing and meeting will 
start at 6 p.m., time slots for speakers from the public will begin at 
approximately 8 p.m. The Board will post a schedule for speakers at the 
entrance to the Duane W. Smith Auditorium at the start of the hearing 
and meeting.
    Anyone who wishes to comment or provide technical information or 
data may do so in writing, either in lieu of, or in addition to, making 
an oral presentation. The Board Members may question presenters to the 
extent deemed appropriate by the Members. Documents will be accepted at 
the hearing and meeting or may be sent to the Defense Nuclear 
Facilities Safety Board's Washington, DC office. The Board will hold 
the record open until January 5, 2008, for the receipt of additional 
materials. A transcript of the hearing and meeting will be made 
available by the Board for inspection by the public at the Defense 
Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's Washington office and at DOE's public 
reading room at the DOE Federal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20585.
    The Board specifically reserves its right to further schedule and 
otherwise regulate the course of the hearing and meeting, to recess, 
reconvene, postpone, or adjourn the hearing and meeting, conduct 
further reviews, and otherwise exercise its powers under the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

A.J. Eggenberger,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. 07-5446 Filed 10-30-07; 9:30 am]
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