**Executive Committee**![](media/image1.png){width="1.198611111111111in"
height="1.2034722222222223in"}

**Meeting Minutes**

**Thursday, October 25, 2007, 5:30 p.m.**

**DOE Information Center**

+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| **[Committee Members                | **[Others                      |
| Present]{.underline}**              | Present]{.underline}**         |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+
| Ben Adams                           | David Branch, ORSSAB           |
|                                     |                                |
| Darryl Bonner                       | Pat Halsey, DOE-ORO            |
|                                     |                                |
| Steve Dixon, Vice Chair             | Norman Mulvenon                |
|                                     |                                |
| Ted Lundy, Secretary                | Pete Osborne, ORSSAB support   |
|                                     | office                         |
| Ron Murphree                        |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| **[Absent]{.underline}**            |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Lance Mezga, Chair                  |                                |
|                                     |                                |
| Kevin Westervelt                    |                                |
+-------------------------------------+--------------------------------+

**[Board Officer/DOE Comments]{.underline}**

Mr. Dixon mentioned that he recently attended the September Chairs
Meeting in Paducah and the 2007 Intergovernmental Meeting with DOE in
Snowbird, Utah. Both meetings included discussion of the DOE EM program
budget, and in Snowbird he participated in a budget breakout session.

Ms. Halsey reported that DOE missed the September Federal Facility
Agreement (FFA) milestone for the Phased Construction Completion Report
for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. DOE had requested an extension
to the milestone, but it was denied by the regulators. DOE disputed the
denial, and the three parties to the FFA are now in informal dispute
over that milestone.

Ms. Halsey said she understands that there will be a formal dispute
letter sent by regulators regarding Appendix E and J milestones. Mr.
Dixon said it would be good for the board to hear more about this at its
November meeting. Ms. Halsey said that if Christine Gelles is not able
to make her presentation to the board in November that DOE could give a
presentation on the milestone dispute.

**[Monthly Board Meetings]{.underline}**

[November 14]{.underline}

-   [Agenda]{.underline} - The committee reviewed the draft meeting
    agenda (Attachment 1). The tentatively scheduled meeting
    presentation will feature an update by Christine Gelles on the
    low-level/mixed low-level waste disposition strategy for the Oak
    Ridge Reservation.

-   [Bylaws]{.underline} - Ms. Halsey remarked that there may be an
    issue with DOE-Headquarters regarding the board's recommendation
    approval procedure. Currently, the minimum needed to approve
    recommendations varies depending on how many members are on the
    board. She proposed that the board use the number eleven as the
    benchmark or simplify the current language in some way. The
    committee discussed the issue but came to no clear conclusion. Mr.
    Dixon offered to discuss it with Tim Myrick. Mr. Dixon also pointed
    out that the bylaws do not specifically spell out the name of the
    board.

-   [Recommendation]{.underline} - The committee reviewed the
    "Recommendation on Independent Verification of Locations of Waste
    Sites in Melton Valley" (Attachment 2) and agreed it was ready to go
    forward to the board for consideration for approval.

[December 12]{.underline} - The committee reviewed a list of potential
topics for the meeting presentation (Attachment 3) and selected an
update on the status of K-25/K-27 decontamination and decommissioning,
associated Appendix E and J milestones for the East Tennessee Technology
Park, and the status of other Appendix E & J milestones.

**[Committee Reports]{.underline}**

[Board Finance & Process]{.underline} - Mr. Adams reported that at its
October meeting the committee reviewed the FY 2007 and 2008 ORSSAB cost
reports (Attachments 4 & 5). In other business, the 2008 budget was
established; Board Process activities were incorporated into the work
plan; and concurrence was made on two travel requests. The committee
also reviewed facilitation requests for the Stewardship Committee and
the Stewardship Education Subcommittee. The requests were returned to
the committees for costs work‑ups.

[Environmental Management]{.underline} - Mr. Murphree reported that in
October the committee held a joint meeting with the Stewardship
Committee to learn more about detection of contamination in Melton
Valley picket wells. Many visitors from the public and the Tennessee
Department of Environment and Conservation attended, and there was
lively discussion on the topic.

The committee canceled its November meeting because it falls the night
before Thanksgiving, when many members may be traveling. The committee
also moved its discussion of the Remediation Effectiveness Report to
January 2008, for which there may be another joint meeting with
Stewardship.

[Public Outreach]{.underline} - Mr. Adams reported that at its October
meeting the committee covered several items, including a suggestion to
invite *Knoxville News-Sentinel* writer Frank Munger to make a
presentation to the board on the changes in newspaper coverage of the
Oak Ridge cleanup efforts over the years or any other topic he chooses.
Mr. Lundy noted that Mr. Munger gave a good presentation to the
Knoxville Technical Society. The Executive Committee agreed to add the
topic to the list of potential board presentations.

Mr. Adams said the Public Outreach Committee also discussed the need for
a computer projector to take to outreach presentations and use at board
meetings. Mr. Dixon suggested that the committee gather costs and submit
an expenditure request.

[Stewardship]{.underline} - Mr. Bonner said that following the joint
October meeting with the EM committee that the Stewardship Committee met
separately to discuss other business. A meeting has been set for Monday
to talk with the stewardship map maker about changing colors and icons.
Mr. Bonner also said that the Stewardship Education Subcommittee met and
began going through kit overhead revisions.

**[Other Business]{.underline}**

[Travel Requests]{.underline} - The committee approved requests for
travel to the Waste Management '08 conference submitted by Sondra Sarten
and John Coffman (Attachment 6).

[EM SSAB Chairs Letters]{.underline} - Mr. Dixon discussed the two
letters generated at the September Chairs Meeting: "Recommendation for
EM SSAB Participation in the EM Budget Process" and "Recommendation for
Long-Term Stewardship Incorporation Into New EM Projects and Legacy
Waste Decisions" (Attachments 7 & 8).

Ms. Halsey suggested that the word "new" be removed from the second
letter's title since the letter addresses both current and new projects.
Mr. Dixon suggested that this comment and any others be sent to Lance
Mezga since he will sign the letters on behalf of the board.

[New Member Orientation and Training]{.underline} - Ms. Halsey said she
had a hard time getting board members to attend the last new member
orientation, and she asked if it was acceptable for her and staff to
conduct orientations without a board member present. The committee
agreed that it was fine.

[Action Item Review]{.underline} - Mr. Bonner asked about the Board
Finance & Process Committee actions regarding pre‑appointment interviews
and interviews of outgoing members.

Mr. Dixon explained that on pre‑appointment interviews the committee had
decided that the DOE appointment process is sufficient without adding
other steps. On conducting exit interviews of outgoing members, he said
that Ms. Halsey usually contacts members leaving the board to do an
informal interview, and the retreat facilitator contacts members to
discuss the board as part of retreat preparations.

Mr. Bonner thought it important to make sure that the facilitator does
interviews with members who have left the board prior to the retreat,
and he introduced a motion to that effect. The motion was approved.

[Western Waste Site Tour]{.underline} - Mr. Dixon remarked that it has
been some time since the board sponsored a tour of western waste
disposal sites for members. The tour, which was held several times in
the past, included the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the Nevada Test
Site, Yucca Mountain, and Envirocare of Utah (now known as
EnergySolutions). He suggested that the board's standing committees
consider the tour this year.

The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

**[Action Items]{.underline}**

*Closed*

1\. Staff will add a presentation by Frank Munger to the list of
potential board presentations. ***Complete***

2\. Ms. Brunton will talk to Ron Murphree and Spencer Gross about
development and cost of a discussion board and then report back to the
Executive Committee. ***Completed by email 10/25/07***

3\. The Board Finance & Process Committee will craft a recommendation to
DOE regarding conduct of pre‑appointment interviews with potential board
members. ***Closed by Board Finance & Process Committee 10/25/07 without
action***

4\. Board Finance & Process will include in the board's Operating
Procedures an action to conduct exit interviews of outgoing members, and
interview within 30 days members who leave the board before their terms
are completed to determine if their reasons for leaving are related to
the board's work. ***Closed by Board Finance & Process Committee
10/25/07 without action***

*Open*

1\. Mr. Mezga will notify members at the October board meeting about
posting committee minutes on the board's website and providing them in
the monthly meeting packets. He will then have the Executive Committee
reconsider discontinuing the paper copies in a couple of months.
*Carryover item*

2\. Mr. Mezga will talk to Pat Halsey about taking board meetings to
other communities. *Carryover item*

3\. Ms. Halsey will address Mr. Dixon's request for a follow-up briefing
on the DOE national low‑level/mixed low-level waste disposition
strategy. *Carryover item*

4\. Mr. Mezga will talk to Fred Dolislager about the risk training.
*Carryover item*

**[Next meeting]{.underline}**

Thursday, November 29, 5:30 p.m., at the DOE Information Center

Attachments (8). Available upon request from the ORSSAB support office.

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