20 October 2009

[Federal Register: October 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 201)]
[Notices]               
[Page 53730-53731]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20oc09-43]                         

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD

 
Sunshine Act Notice

AGENCY: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.

ACTION: Notice of public 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:  9 a.m., November 24, 2009.

PLACE: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Public Hearing Room, 
625 Indiana Avenue, NW., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004-2001. 
Additionally, as a part of the Board's E-Government initiative, the 
meeting will be presented live through Internet video streaming. A link 
to the presentation will be available on the Board's Web site (http://
www.dnfsb.gov).

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: The Board will hold a series of public 
meetings to examine the Department of Energy's (DOE) implementation of 
Recommendation 2004-1, Oversight of Complex, High-Hazard Nuclear 
Operations. In 2003 and 2004, the Board conducted a series of eight 
public meetings that examined DOE's methods, and the proposed changes 
to those methods, for providing and ensuring adequate protection for 
the public health and safety and that of the workers at DOE's defense 
nuclear facilities. Based on the findings from these public meetings, 
the Board issued Recommendation 2004-1 on May 21, 2004. While the Board 
notes that progress has been made on many of the 22 commitments 
contained in DOE's Implementation Plan to Improve Oversight of Nuclear 
Operations (Revision 2, October 2006), major commitments remain 
incomplete, and areas continue to require greater attention from senior 
management if planned activities are to be completed. In addition, 
commitments previously declared complete must be reviewed and 
reinforced by cognizant managers to reaffirm the continued achievement 
of their purposes and functions. This series of public meetings will 
examine the overall implementation of Recommendation 2004-1 in light of 
the Recommendation's basic precepts: strengthen federal health and 
safety assurance; learn from internal and external operating 
experience; and revitalize the implementation of Integrated Safety 
Management. Of particular importance to the successful implementation 
of Recommendation 2004-1 is the direct and unbroken line of roles and 
responsibilities for the safety of nuclear operations, extending from 
the Secretary of Energy, Program Secretarial Officers, and the National 
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to field offices and sites.
    This hearing and meeting is intended to further assist the Board 
and DOE in their collective efforts to evaluate any needed improvements 
in the timeliness of issue resolution. The Board expects to hear 
presentations from the top leadership team of DOE and NNSA to outline 
the safety goals and safety management approach that DOE/NNSA is 
pursuing in the context of activities conducted under Recommendation 
2004-1 and other DOE safety initiatives. The Board may also collect any 
other information relevant to health or safety of the workers and the 
public, with respect to Recommendation 2004-1. 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 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 close of business on November 23, 2009, will 
be scheduled for time slots, beginning at approximately 12 p.m. The 
Board will post a schedule for those speakers who

[[Page 53731]]

have contacted the Board before the hearing. The posting will be made 
at the entrance to the Public Hearing Room at the start of the 9 a.m. 
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. Documents will be 
accepted at the meeting or may be sent to the Board's Washington, DC 
office. The Board will hold the record open until December 24, 2009, 
for the receipt of additional materials. A transcript of the meeting 
will be made available by the Board for inspection by the public at the 
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 meeting and hearing, to recess, 
reconvene, postpone, or adjourn the meeting and hearing, conduct 
further reviews, and otherwise exercise its power under the Atomic 
Energy Act of 1954, as amended.

    Dated: October 14, 2009.
John E. Mansfield,
Vice Chairman.
[FR Doc. E9-25326 Filed 10-16-09; 4:15 pm]

BILLING CODE 3670-01-P