The DNFSB, which is required by statute to have five board members appointed by the president, has been without a quorum since January 31, following the retirement of chair Joyce Connery.
Transitional leadership: To ensure the continuity of operations during the loss of quorum needed to take certain formal actions, the DNFSB said that Summers has delegated some authorities to senior agency officials, including the authority to issue reporting requirements to the DOE.
“Despite this transition, the DNFSB remains fully committed to its vital national security mission,” according to a DNFSB press release. “The agency’s highly qualified technical staff will continue to perform independent safety oversight at DOE defense nuclear facilities across the nation, including the Y-12 National Security Complex, Pantex Plant, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Savannah River Site, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and the Hanford Site, among others.”
Distinguished service: A retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than three decades of active-duty service, Summers was designated vice chair of the DNFSB in August 2020, having been twice confirmed by the Senate. According the DNFSB, Summers served the board with distinction, leading the agency during a period of significant transition and sustained operational excellence. “Under his leadership, the board advanced its oversight of the [DOE] defense nuclear facilities, strengthened collaboration with DOE leadership, and upheld the board’s mission to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety,” the DNFSB said.
Lee, who holds a doctorate in nuclear engineering/health physics and a master’s degree in health physics from the Georgia Institute of Technology, has more than 30 years of experience in radiation protection and nuclear safety, including serving two decades in leadership roles at the Savannah River National Laboratory.
