About Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

The Board is an independent agency in the Executive branch of the government, charged with providing safety oversight of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) defense nuclear facilities. Established in September 1988, the Board provides the public with added assurance that DOE's defense nuclear facilities, required to maintain the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, are being safely designed, constructed, operated, and decommissioned. In addition, the Board shares responsibility with other federal and state agencies for major environmental restoration activities.