If the President recommends to the Congress the Yucca Mountain site under subsection (a) and the site designation is permitted to take effect under section 10135 of this title, the Secretary shall submit to the Commission an application for a construction authorization for a repository at such site not later than 90 days after the date on which the recommendation of the site designation is effective under such section and shall provide to the Governor and legislature of the State of Nevada a copy of such application.
Not later than 1 year after the date on which an application for a construction authorization is submitted under subsection (b), and annually thereafter until the date on which such authorization is granted, the Commission shall submit a report to the Congress describing the proceedings undertaken through the date of such report with regard to such application, including a description of-
The Commission shall consider an application for a construction authorization for all or part of a repository in accordance with the laws applicable to such applications, except that the Commission shall issue a final decision approving or disapproving the issuance of a construction authorization not later than the expiration of 3 years after the date of the submission of such application, except that the Commission may extend such deadline by not more than 12 months if, not less than 30 days before such deadline, the Commission complies with the reporting requirements established in subsection (e)(2). The Commission decision approving the first such application shall prohibit the emplacement in the first repository of a quantity of spent fuel containing in excess of 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal or a quantity of solidified high-level radioactive waste resulting from the reprocessing of such a quantity of spent fuel until such time as a second repository is in operation. In the event that a monitored retrievable storage facility, approved pursuant to part C of this subchapter, shall be located, or is planned to be located, within 50 miles of the first repository, then the Commission decision approving the first such application shall prohibit the emplacement of a quantity of spent fuel containing in excess of 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal or a quantity of solidified high-level radioactive waste resulting from the reprocessing of spent fuel in both the repository and monitored retrievable storage facility until such time as a second repository is in operation.
1So in original. The word "to" probably should not appear.
42 U.S.C. § 10134
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1)(D) and (f), is Pub. L. 91-190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§4321 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4321 of this title and Tables.The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (f)(4), is act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, §1, 68 Stat. 919, which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§2011 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.The Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (f)(5), is Pub. L. 93-438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233. Title II of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 is classified generally to subchapter II (§5841 et seq.) of chapter 73 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables.
AMENDMENTS1987-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(h)(1)(A)-(E), amended par. (1) identically, in introductory provisions substituting "vicinity of the Yucca Mountain site" for "vicinity of each site under consideration for recommendation to the President under this paragraph as a site for the development of a repository", striking out "in which such site is located" after "residents of the area", substituting "activities at the Yucca Mountain site" for "activities at not less than 3 candidate sites for the first proposed repository, or from all of the characterized sites for the development of subsequent respositories" [sic] and "of Nevada" for "in which such site is located, or the governing body of the affected Indian tribe where such site is located, as the case may be", and struck out before last sentence "In making site recommendations and approvals subsequent to the first site recommendation, the Secretary and the President, respectively, shall also consider the need for regional distribution of repositories and the need to minimize, to the extent practicable, the impacts and cost of transporting spent fuel and solidified high-level radioactive waste."Subsec. (a)(1)(D). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(h)(1)(F), generally amended subpar. (D) identically. Prior to amendment, subpar. (D) read as follows: "a final environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to subsection (f) of this section and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), including an analysis of the consideration given by the Secretary to not less than 3 candidate sites for the first proposed respository [sic] or to all of the characterized sites for the development of subsequent repositories, with respect to which site characterization is completed under section 10133 of this title, together with comments made concerning such environmental impact statement by the Secretary of the Interior, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Administrator, and the Commission, except that any such environmental impact statement concerning the first repository to be developed under this chapter shall not be required to consider the need for a repository or the alternatives to geologic disposal;".Subsec. (a)(1)(H). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(h)(1)(G), amended subpar. (H) identically, substituting "the State of Nevada" for "the State in which such site is located, or under section 10138(b)(3)(B) of this title by the affected Indian tribe where such site is located, as the case may be".Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(h)(2), amended subsec. (a) identically, adding par. (2) and striking out former par. (2) which required submission of recommendation of one site for repository not later than Mar. 31, 1987, and recommendation of second site not later than Mar. 31, 1990, and permitted subsequent recommendations for other sites and extension of deadlines.Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(h)(2), (3), amended subsec. (a) identically, redesignating par. (4) as (3), in subpar. (A), substituting "the Yucca Mountain site" for "any site under this subsection" and "statement" for "report", and striking out former par. (3) which read as follows: "If approval of any such site recommendation does not take effect as a result of a disapproval by the Governor or legislature of a State under section 10136 of this title or the governing body of an affected Indian tribe under section 10138 of this title, the President shall submit to the Congress, not later than 1 year after the disapproval of such recommendation, a recommendation of another site for the first or subsequent repository."Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(i), amended subsec. (b) identically, substituting "the Yucca Mountain site" for "a site for a repository" and "State of Nevada" for "State in which such site is located, or the governing body of the affected Indian tribe where such site is located, as the case may be,". Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(j), amended subsec. (d) identically, substituting "than the expiration" for "than- (1) January 1, 1989, for the first such application, and January 1, 1992 for the second such application; or (2) the expiration" and "subsection (e)(2)" for "subsection (e)(2); whichever occurs later". Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(k), amended par. (1) identically, substituting "operation of the repository" for "operation of the repository involved".Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203, §5011(l), generally amended subsec. (f) identically, substituting provisions consisting of pars. (1) to (6) for former provisions consisting of single unnumbered par.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
TERMINATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions of law requiring submittal to Congress of any annual, semiannual, or other regular periodic report listed in House Document No. 103-7 (in which a report required under subsec. (c) of this section is listed as the 17th item on page 186), see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104-66 as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance.
VIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE Pub. L. 104-206, 110 Stat. 2995, provided in part: "That no later than September 30, 1998, the Secretary shall provide to the President and to the Congress a viability assessment of the Yucca Mountain site. The viability assessment shall include: "(1) the preliminary design concept for the critical elements for the repository and waste package;"(2) a total system performance assessment, based upon the design concept and the scientific data and analysis available by September 30, 1998, describing the probable behavior of the repository in the Yucca Mountain geological setting relative to the overall system performance standards;"(3) a plan and cost estimate for the remaining work required to complete a license application; and"(4) an estimate of the costs to construct and operate the repository in accordance with the design concept."
- Administrator
- The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Commission
- The term "Commission" means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Federal agency
- The term "Federal agency" means any Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5.
- Governor
- The term "Governor" means the chief executive officer of a State.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Energy.
- State
- The term "State" means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
- Yucca Mountain site
- The term "Yucca Mountain site" means the candidate site in the State of Nevada recommended by the Secretary to the President under section 10132(b)(1)(B) of this title on May 27, 1986.
- affected Indian tribe
- The term "affected Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe-(A) within whose reservation boundaries a monitored retrievable storage facility, test and evaluation facility, or a repository for high-level radioactive waste or spent fuel is proposed to be located;(B) whose federally defined possessory or usage rights to other lands outside of the reservation's boundaries arising out of congressionally ratified treaties may be substantially and adversely affected by the locating of such a facility: Provided, That the Secretary of the Interior finds, upon the petition of the appropriate governmental officials of the tribe, that such effects are both substantial and adverse to the tribe;1
- disposal
- The term "disposal" means the emplacement in a repository of high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or other highly radioactive material with no foreseeable intent of recovery, whether or not such emplacement permits the recovery of such waste.
- high-level radioactive waste
- The term "high-level radioactive waste" means-(A) the highly radioactive material resulting from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, including liquid waste produced directly in reprocessing and any solid material derived from such liquid waste that contains fission products in sufficient concentrations; and(B) other highly radioactive material that the Commission, consistent with existing law, determines by rule requires permanent isolation.
- monitored retrievable storage facility
- The term "monitored retrievable storage facility" means the storage facility described in section 10161(b)(1) of this title.1So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.2See References in Text note below.
- repository
- The term "repository" means any system licensed by the Commission that is intended to be used for, or may be used for, the permanent deep geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, whether or not such system is designed to permit the recovery, for a limited period during initial operation, of any materials placed in such system. Such term includes both surface and subsurface areas at which high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel handling activities are conducted.
- site characterization
- The term "site characterization" means-(A) siting research activities with respect to a test and evaluation facility at a candidate site; and(B) activities, whether in the laboratory or in the field, undertaken to establish the geologic condition and the ranges of the parameters of a candidate site relevant to the location of a repository, including borings, surface excavations, excavations of exploratory shafts, limited subsurface lateral excavations and borings, and in situ testing needed to evaluate the suitability of a candidate site for the location of a repository, but not including preliminary borings and geophysical testing needed to assess whether site characterization should be undertaken.
- spent nuclear fuel
- The term "spent nuclear fuel" means fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing.
- package
- The terms "disposal package" and "package" mean the primary container that holds, and is in contact with, solidified high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or other radioactive materials, and any overpacks that are emplaced at a repository.
- project
- The terms "federally assisted housing" and "project" mean-(A) a public housing project (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)] );(B) housing for which project-based assistance is provided under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f] ;(C) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12;(D) housing that is assisted under section 1701q of title 12, as such section existed before November 28, 1990;(E) housing financed by a loan or mortgage insured under section 1715l(d)(3) of title 12 that bears interest at a rate determined under the proviso of section 1715l(d)(5) of title 12;(F) housing insured, assisted, or held by the Secretary or a State or State agency under section 1715z-1 of title 12;(G) housing constructed or substantially rehabilitated pursuant to assistance provided under section 8(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f(b)(2)], as in effect before October 1, 1983, that is assisted under a contract for assistance under such section; and(H) housing that is assisted under section 80131 of this title.