"The Board is the only agency that provides independent technical safety oversight of DOE’s defense nuclear facilities. The Board remains the last line of defense to ensure DOE line management implements its safety requirements needed to ensure accidents do not happen within the defense nuclear weapons complex. The DOE-Board independent safety oversight model has yielded a positive safety performance record in DOE’s defense nuclear complex since the Congress established the Board." -- Testimony of Dr. Peter S. Winokur, Chairman, DNFSB, before the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, House Armed Services Committee, US House of Representatives, April 17, 2012

Selected background
updated 03/04/21

DNFSB Public Hearing on DOE Order 140.1, Feb 21, 2019, Albuquerque, NM
    – LASG's comments
    – Nuclear safety board still wary of DOE changes, Albuquerque Journal, Feb 23, 2019
    – DOE Site Managers Say They Won’t Shut Out DNFSB, Exchange Monitor, Feb 22, 2019
    – Nuclear safety board cites safety concerns in reduced role, Santa Fe New Mexican, Feb 22, 2019
        – Greg Mello comment

DNFSB Recommendation 2019-1: Uncontrolled Hazard Scenarios and 10 CFR 830 Implementation at the Pantex Plant, Feb 20, 2019

DNFSB Public Business Meetings, Washington, DC. These were all discussions of the implicit and explicit recommendations captured in the National Academy of Public Administration’s Organizational Assessment of the DNFSB and also recent Inspector General recommendations concerning the effectiveness of the DNFSB.
Feb 14, 2019
Jan 16, 2019
Dec 20, 2018

DNFSB Public Hearing, Nov 28, 2018, on DOE Order 140.1, the DNFSB interface and access to information, facilities, and personnel managed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management and DOE Office of Science; and to receive input from the public regarding the role of independent oversight and interfaces between DNFSB and DOE.

National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Organizational Assessment of the DNFSB, Nov 2018

DOE review of potential revisions to 10 CFR Part 830, Nuclear Safety Management, Sep 25, 2018

Letters from the DNFSB regarding DOE Order 140.1, Sep 17, 2018, to the following:
    – DOE Secretary Perry
    – Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)
    – Senate Appropriations Committee
    – House Armed Services Committee (HASC)
    – House Appropriations Committee

JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT OF THE COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE, House and Senate, HR 5895, p 52, Sep 9, 2018
"The conferees are concerned with the recently issued Order 140.1, Interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB), and the potential impacts on the ability of the DNFSB to carry out its Congressionally-mandated responsibilities. Not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, the Department shall provide to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a briefing on how the Order differs from the previous Manual, how the Department plans to incorporate concerns from the DNFSB and the public, and the Department's plans to implement the Order across the organization."

House Energy and Water Development, Conference Report to Accompany HR 5895, p 53, Sep 9, 2018
"DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD - SALARIES AND EXPENSES - For expenses necessary for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board in carrying out activities authorized by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended by Public Law 100-456, section 1441, $31,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2020: Provided, That none of the funds made available by this or any prior Act for the salaries and expenses of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board shall be available to implement any reform and reorganization plan of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, including the plan announced on August 15, 2018, unless any such reform and reorganization plan is specifically authorized by law."

LASG letter to Congressional Colleagues re: DNFSB & DOE Order 140.1, Aug 30, 2018

LASG comments on DOE Order 140.1 submitted to the DNFSB for their public hearing, Aug 28, 2018
    – Part Two, Aug 30, 2018
    – Part One, Aug 27, 2018

DNFSB Public Hearing on DOE Order 140.1, Aug 28, 2018. DNFSB’s goal is to gather information on: (1) objectives of DOE Order 140.1, Interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board; (2) DNFSB access to information, facilities, and personnel; and (3) potential impacts to the DNFSB resident inspector program.
    – Hearing video