Dear Mr. Dodgion:

I would like to commend the representatives from your staff who are working with staff from the United States Departmentof of Energy (DOE) Nevada Operations Office and my office to develop a Joint Oversight Program for the low-level waste disposal operation at the Nevada Test Site. I understand that they are making progress, and I assure you that I fully support their efforts to date.

I have been briefed on their progress, and I understand that our organizations have identified several activities that will provide a greater level of involvement of the State of Nevada in the DOE's disposal operations that can be implemented immediately. Furthermore, our organizations have established a process whereby additional involvement and activities may be identified and discussed for inclusion into a joint oversight program.

The Department values the State's continued participation with the shaping of other similar decisions to meet our Nation's future challenges, through public participation and outreach functions. I recognize that many aspects of this joint oversight program will be developed in parallel with the finalization of the DOE Order for waste management and the issuance of a Record of Decision for the DOE's Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. These actions, among others, will be appropriately considered and integrated into any final oversight program.

Again, I greatly appreciate your willingness to pursue a program of joint oversight and look forward to continued progress. Should you have any questions regarding the joint oversight program, please contact me or Leah Dever of the Department's Nevada Operations Office at (702) 295-7063.

Sincerely,

Alvin L. Alm
Assistant Secretary for
Environmental Management

 
cc:
Robert R. Loux, Executive Director
  Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects
H.L. Rosse, Chief Nevada Bureau of Waste Management
Paul J. Liebendorfer, Chief
  Nevada Bureau of Federal Facilities
John Thomasian, Director, National Governors Association