Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

Stored: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Type: Independent Agencies Parent organization: Top organization: Employees: 110 Executive: Chairman Budget: $29 million (FY 2023) Address: 625 Indiana Ave NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004 Website: https://www.dnfsb.gov/ Creation Legislation: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended in 1988 Wikipedia: Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board [{"name":"Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board","title":"\u003Ca class=\"mw-selflink selflink\"\u003EDefense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":38.89469,"lon":-77.02085,"otherValues":{"HeadquartersAddress":"625 Indiana Ave NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004"}}] This map created from a Cargo query ()

Mission Provide independent safety analysis to the Secretary of Energy for defense nuclear facilities, protecting public health.

Services Safety Oversight; Recommendations; Technical Analysis

Regulations

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is an independent agency of the United States government based in Washington, D.C. Established in 1988, the DNFSB oversees the nuclear weapons complex administered by the U.S. Department of Energy. The DNFSB is independent of the Department of Energy. The DNFSB's most important power is its ability to give recommendations to the Secretary of Energy.

Official Site

Membership

The board consists of five members, who are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President appoints members of the Board from civilian life who are U.S. citizens and are respected experts in the field of nuclear safety with a demonstrated competence and knowledge relevant to the independent investigative and oversight functions of the board. The National Academy of Sciences maintains a list of individuals who meet these qualifications, which assists the President in selecting individuals to nominate. A maximum of three members may be members of the same political party. They each serve terms of five years, and, following changes made by the NDAA 2020 § 3203(b)(1)(A), may not be reappointed to a second term, unless they were originally appointed to fill an unexpired term of less than three remaining years. A member may not continue to serve after the end of their term unless that would consitute a loss of quorum for the board. Three members is necessary for the board to have a quorum. The President designates one of the members to serve as chairman and chief executive officer, and another to serve as vice chairman.

Board members

The current FCA board as of September 25, 2024:

Position	Name	Party	Took office	Term expires
Chair	Joyce L. Connery	Democratic	August 2015 (as member) January 20, 2021 (as Chair)	October 18, 2024
Vice chairman	Thomas A. Summers	Republican	August 17, 2020	October 18, 2025
Member	Patricia L. Lee	Democratic	September 4, 2024	October 18, 2027
Member	Vacant			October 18, 2026
Member	Vacant			October 18, 2028

Nominations

President Biden has nominated the following to fill a seat on the board. They await Senate confirmation.

Name	Party	Term expires	Replacing
William Isaac White	Democratic	October 18, 2028	Jessie Hill Roberson

Mission

The DNFSB's mission is to provide independent oversight of the safety practices at the Department of Energy's defense nuclear facilities. It advises the Secretary of Energy on safety issues and makes recommendations to improve safety, protect public health, and ensure the well-being of workers at these facilities.

Parent organization

The DNFSB operates as an independent agency and does not have a parent organization in the traditional sense.

Legislation

The DNFSB was established by amendments to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 in 1988, which authorized the creation of an independent body for nuclear safety oversight.

Partners

• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
• National Laboratories and DOE sites
• Other federal agencies with nuclear safety interests

Number of employees

The DNFSB employs approximately 110 staff members.

Organization structure

• Office of the Chairman directs the board's activities.
• Technical Divisions conduct safety reviews and technical analyses.
• General Counsel provides legal support and advice.
• Resident Inspectors are stationed at key DOE facilities for on-site monitoring.

List of programs

• Safety Recommendations to DOE
• Public Hearings on Nuclear Safety
• Technical Reports and Oversight Activities
• Annual Reports to Congress

Last total enacted budget

The last total enacted budget for the DNFSB was $29 million for Fiscal Year 2023.

Leader

The DNFSB is led by a Chairman.

Services provided

The DNFSB provides services by reviewing safety standards, conducting inspections, issuing safety recommendations, and performing risk assessments at DOE's defense nuclear facilities. It also engages in public outreach to share its findings and recommendations on nuclear safety.

Regulations overseen

While the DNFSB does not directly oversee regulations, it influences safety policies and practices at DOE's nuclear facilities through its recommendations and by providing technical expertise to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Headquarters address

625 Indiana Ave NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20004

Website

https://www.dnfsb.gov/

Wikipedia article

wikipedia:Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

External links

• https://www.dnfsb.gov/
• https://www.dnfsb.gov/about/who-we-are
• https://www.dnfsb.gov/reports

See also

• Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations
• Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

External links

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• Departmental Representative to the Board