Archive

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

An independent federal agency that oversees public health and safety at DOE’s defense nuclear facilities and issues recommendations on cleanup and weapons-production safety.

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Reviewing NNSA’s Revised Implementation Plan for Pantex Safety

    As part of what it has dubbed a good-faith effort to better cooperate with the federal government’s independent nuclear health-and-safety watchdog, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) this month delivered an updated plan for implementing safety recommendations for the Pantex Plant in Texas. Whether the changes will convince the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Senate Confirms Four to DNFSB

    The Senate last week reappointed the three serving members on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) and filled one of its vacant positions. The Senate on July 2 by voice vote approved the nominations of Thomas Summers, Joyce Connery, Jessie Hill Roberson, and Bruce Hamilton, according to the website Congress.gov. Summers is the only […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Senate Confirms 3 Old Hands, One Newcomer to DNFSB

    The Senate last week reappointed the three serving members on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) and filled one of its vacant positions. The Senate on July 2 by voice vote approved the nominations of Thomas Summers, Joyce Connery, Jessie Hill Roberson, and Bruce Hamilton, according to the website Congress.gov. Summers is the only […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Senate Confirms Connery, Summers to DNFSB Seats

    The Senate has approved the nominations of Thomas Summers and Joyce Connery to seats on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The Senate approved the two by voice vote on July 2, according to the website Congress.gov. That came after both were nominated in May and then reported out of the Senate Armed Services […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    House Bill Would Keep DOE Nuclear Cleanup at $7.5B in Fiscal 2021

    The House Appropriations Committee indicated Monday it plans to fund the Energy Department’s Office of Environmental Management at $7.46 million for fiscal 2021. The nuclear cleanup funding is roughly equal to the amount appropriated for fiscal 2020, which ends Sept. 30, and an increase of $1.4 billion from the request submitted in February by the […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Senate Armed Services Endorses Two DNFSB Nominations

    The Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday reported out two nominations to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) via voice vote. The nominations of serving DNFSB member Joyce Connery and new nominee Thomas Summers now advance to the full Senate, which had not scheduled a floor vote at deadline Friday for Nuclear Security & […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Senate Armed Services Panel Endorses Two DNFSB Nominations

    The Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday reported out two nominations to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) via voice vote. The nominations of serving DNFSB member Joyce Connery and new nominee Thomas Summers now advance to the full Senate, which had not scheduled a floor vote at deadline Friday for Weapons Complex Monitor. […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    Senate Armed Services Endorses Two DNFSB Nominations

    The Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday reported out two nominations to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) via voice vote. The nominations of serving DNFSB member Joyce Connery and new nominee Thomas Summers now advance to the full Senate. No date has been set for a floor vote. Connery joined the board in […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    DOE Report to Congress Steers Clear of DNFSB Battle

    In an official report to Congress about tritium-safety oversight, the Department of Energy again sought to avoid a legal fight about whether its workforce is subject to recommendations from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The independent federal agency feared the Energy Department might have rejected a 2019 recommendation to bolster the Savannah River Site’s […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Rejection of Tritium Recommendation Was Not About DNFSB Jurisdiction, DOE Says Again

    In an official report to Congress about tritium-safety oversight, the Department of Energy again sought to avoid a legal fight about whether its workforce is subject to recommendations from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The independent federal agency feared the Energy Department might have rejected a 2019 recommendation to bolster the Savannah River Site’s […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    Energy Dept. Changes to Main Nuke Safety Management Reg in ‘Draft Final’ Form

    The Department of Energy is close to finalizing revisions to the federal regulation governing nuclear safety management, according to a letter the agency recently sent to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The federal government’s independent nuclear health-and-safety watchdog received the draft final document on June 9, DOE said two days afterward in a letter […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Rejection of Tritium Recommendation Was Not About DNFSB Jurisdiction, DOE Says Again

    In an official report to Congress about tritium-safety oversight, the Department of Energy again sought to avoid a legal fight about whether its workforce is subject to recommendations from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). The independent federal agency feared DOE might have rejected a 2019 recommendation to bolster the Savannah River Site’s ability […]

  • Environmental scientists in protective suits surveying contaminated soil at an industrial cleanup site.
    Cleanup & Remediation

    SRS Ended Up With Faulty Masks, DNFSB Reports

    The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina had to set aside some N95-style masks last month after testing revealed the face wear could not filter enough particulates to be considered a personal respirator capable of protecting users from COVID-19. The independent Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) disclosed the issue in its […]

  • A tunnel boring machine operating inside an underground rock-salt mine tunnel.
    Transuranic Waste

    DNFSB Cautions WIPP Against Relying Too Much on Waste Criteria

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) said the Energy Department might rely too much on its waste acceptance criteria program to keep potentially combustible material out of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M. The DOE’s National Transuranic Program employs the criteria at department facilities around the country to flag hazards in defense-related […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Reviewing NNSA’s Revised Implementation Plan for Pantex Safety

    As part of what it has dubbed a good-faith effort to better cooperate with the federal government’s independent nuclear health-and-safety watchdog, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) this month delivered an updated plan for implementing safety recommendations for the Pantex Plant in Texas. Whether the changes will convince the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) […]

  • A tunnel boring machine operating inside an underground rock-salt mine tunnel.
    Transuranic Waste

    DNFSB Says WIPP Should Not Rely Too Heavily on Waste Criteria

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) said the Energy Department might rely too much on its waste acceptance criteria program to keep potentially combustible material out of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M. The DOE’s National Transuranic Program employs the criteria at department facilities around the country to flag hazards in defense-related […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    No Return Date Set for DNFSB Staff in Washington, D.C.

    While some other federal agencies are bringing personnel back into the workplace, there is no timetable for Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) staff to return to their offices in downtown Washington, D.C. “No date has been set for a return” to board headquarters on Indiana Avenue, DNFSB spokeswoman Tara Tadlock said in a Thursday […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    ECA Wants Clarity on Defense Board Safety Recommendation

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) might lose credibility in the eyes of Department of Energy site host communities if it does not explain its opposition to proposed changes to federal nuclear safety standards in plain words, a community interest group said. “It would be in the best interest for sites and communities to […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    ECA Warns Defense Board Could Lose Credibility With Locals Over Recommendation Language

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) might lose credibility in the eyes of Department of Energy site host communities if it does not explain its opposition to proposed changes to federal nuclear safety standards in plain words, a community interest group said. “It would be in the best interest for sites and communities to […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    No Return Date Set for DNFSB Staff in Washington, D.C.

    While some other federal agencies are bringing personnel back into the workplace, there is no timetable for Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) staff to return to their offices in downtown Washington, D.C. “No date has been set for a return” to board headquarters on Indiana Avenue, DNFSB spokeswoman Tara Tadlock said in a Thursday […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    ECA Warns Defense Board Could Lose Credibility With Locals Over Recommendation Langauge

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) might lose credibility in the eyes of Department of Energy site host communities if it does not explain its opposition to proposed changes to federal nuclear safety standards in plain words, a community interest group said.  “It would be in the best interest for sites and communities to […]

  • Environmental scientists in protective suits surveying contaminated soil at an industrial cleanup site.
    Cleanup & Remediation

    ExchangeMonitor Decommissioning Strategy Forum Rescheduled, Relocated

    The ExchangeMonitor’s 2020 Decommissioning Strategy Forum is being pushed back from June to September and relocated to Henderson, Nev. The continuing COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to stick to the original schedule to hold the conference on June 8-9 in Nashville, according to the ExchangeMonitor’s parent company, Access Intelligence. “Please note that out of concern […]

  • Environmental scientists in protective suits surveying contaminated soil at an industrial cleanup site.
    Cleanup & Remediation

    DNFSB Chairman Questions Briefing for ECA

    It would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to brief a group representing nuclear-site host communities about the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board’s (DNFSB) latest safety recommendation to the Department of Energy, according to the board chairman. “[U]sing staff resources, even though marginal in this instance, to educate a public interest group on complex technical […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Chair to ECA: You Don’t Need No Education

    It would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to brief a group representing nuclear-site host communities about the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board’s (DNFSB) latest safety recommendation to the Department of Energy, according to the board chairman. “[U]sing staff resources, even though marginal in this instance, to educate a public interest group on complex technical […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Chair to ECA: You Don’t Need No Education 

    It would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to brief a group representing nuclear-site host communities about the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board’s (DNFSB) latest safety recommendation to the Department of Energy, according to the board chairman. “[U]sing staff resources, even though marginal in this instance, to educate a public interest group on complex technical […]

  • The U.S. Capitol dome framed by trees with an overlay of paper currency, symbolizing federal budget appropriations.
    Budget & Policy

    White House Nomination Wave Includes Two For DNFSB

    The White House this week shoveled more than 30 nominations to the newly returned Senate, including two for positions on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.  Former Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Chair Joyce Connery was nominated to serve a term ending Oct. 18, 2024, while Thomas Summers, former vice commander of the 91st […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Gives Energy Dept. More Time to Reply to Recommendation on Nuke Safety Reg

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) is giving the Department of Energy a little more time to respond to a recommendation against proceeding with proposed changes to federal nuclear safety management rules. “The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has received your April 27, 2020, letter requesting a 45-day extension to provide a response regarding […]

  • Environmental scientists in protective suits surveying contaminated soil at an industrial cleanup site.
    Cleanup & Remediation

    White House Nominations Include Two for DNFSB

    The White House this week shoveled more than 30 nominations to the newly returned Senate, including two for positions on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.  Former Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Chair Joyce Connery was nominated to serve a term ending Oct. 18, 2024, while Thomas Summers, former vice commander of the 91st […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    DNFSB Gives Energy Dept. More Time to Reply to Recommendation on Nuke Safety Reg

    The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) is giving the Department of Energy a little more time to respond to a recommendation against proceeding with proposed changes to federal nuclear safety management rules. “The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board has received your April 27, 2020, letter requesting a 45-day extension to provide a response regarding […]

  • A ballistic missile warhead stored upright inside an underground launch silo, viewed from above.
    Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile

    Monday Nomination Wave Includes Two For DNFSB

    The White House on Monday shoveled 30 nominations to the newly returned Senate, including two for positions on the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB). Former DNFSB Chair Joyce Connery was nominated to serve a term ending Oct. 18, 2024, while Thomas Summers, former vice commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force […]