03-19957. Sunshine Act Meeting

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) meeting described below. The Board will also conduct a series of public hearings 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:

9-12 a.m.; September 10, 2003.

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 this presentation will be available on the home page of the Board's Web site (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 is reviewing the Department of Energy's (DOE) current oversight and management of the contracts and contractors it relies upon to accomplish the mission assigned to DOE under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. We will focus on what impact, if any, DOE's new initiatives may have upon assuring adequate protection of the health and safety of the public and workers at DOE's defense nuclear facilities. Over the next several months, we will conduct a series of public meetings to collect information needed to understand and address any health or safety concerns that may require Board Action. This will include, but is not limited to, presentations by DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to explain their contract management and oversight initiatives; presentations by federal and industry experts in contracting for essential and high risk government services; and possibly further presentations by DNFSB staff.

The Board has identified several key areas that will be better examined in a public meeting. In the September 10th meeting, the Board will hear from representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the commercial nuclear sector, and the aerospace industry. The information gathered at that time will explore federal contract management and oversight experience in various organizations and will provide relevant reference experience. In subsequent public meetings, the Board will explore in more depth federal management and oversight policies being developed by DOE and NNSA for defense nuclear facilities. DOE and NNSA will be invited to discuss their new approaches to contract reform, contractor self-assessment, and federal oversight. The public hearing portion is independently authorized by 42 U.S.C. 2286b.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth M. Pusateri, General Manager, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, 625 Indiana Avenue, NW., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004-2901, [phone]. This is a toll-free number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Requests to speak at the hearing may be submitted in writing or by telephone. We ask that commentators describe the nature and scope of their oral presentation. Those who contact the Board prior to close of business on September 9, 2003, will be scheduled for time slots, beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. The Board will post a schedule for those speakers who 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. 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 Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's Washington, DC, office. The Board will hold the record open until October 10, 2003, 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 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 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.

John T. Conway,

Chairman.