Nuclear Material Review Board Enhancements and Facility Impacts at the Nevada National Security Sites

The risk-ranking Nuclear Material Review Board (NMRB) process was implemented in 2014 by the Nuclear Materials Management (NMM) Program at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS). Advancements to the NMRB process have continued to be implemented to improve efficiencies and support operational safety within NNSS facilities. The NMRB process ranks the relative risk of acquiring nuclear materials (NM) of interest and includes a storage plan and defined disposition path to ensure NM meets facility acceptance criteria. Acquisition of NM is determined based on the acceptability by key stakeholders representing NNSS facilities: NMM, NM Inventory Management, Certified Packaging Program, Environmental Compliance, Facility Management, Industrial Hygiene, Nuclear Material Control and Accountability (NMC&A), Nuclear Assurance, Nuclear Criticality Safety, Nuclear Container Engineering, Radiological Control, Security Program Planning and Assurance, Storage, Transportation, and Waste Generator Services. The involvement of each of these key stakeholders ensures that the NMRB risk-ranking process considers all aspects of potential impacts to a facility prior to recommendation of NM acquisition. As of Fiscal Year 2024, the NMRB has made additional enhancements and is planning for the implementation of further enhancements in the future: increased process automation, specification of stakeholder criteria during an evaluation of a Nuclear Material Request (NMR), inclusion of a new voting member, removal of the supplemental member concept, and planned association with Nuclear Material Control and Accountability in support of the ATS [Authorization to Ship] process. The NMRB process has successfully mitigated or lessened the impact to facilities since its implementation. Due to the improved process, two NMRs were rejected based on the expected risk, and potential contamination issues were identified prior to NMR approval. The NMRB is unique to the NNSS and provides an independent and objective review of matters related to lifecycle planning of NM of interest at NNSS facilities.