42 U.S.C. § 10141
Not later than 1 year after January 7, 1983, the Administrator, pursuant to authority under other provisions of law, shall, by rule, promulgate generally applicable standards for protection of the general environment from offsite releases from radioactive material in repositories.
The promulgation of standards or criteria in accordance with the provisions of this section shall not require the preparation of an environmental impact statement under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), or to require any environmental review under subparagraph (E) or (F) of section 102(2) of such Act.
42 U.S.C. § 10141
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(A), 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. (b)(1)(A), is Pub. L. 93-438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, which is classified principally to chapter 73 (§5801 et seq.) 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.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE AND DISPOSAL AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE Pub. L. 102-486, title VIII, §801, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2921, provided that:"(a) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY STANDARDS.-"(1) PROMULGATION.-Notwithstanding the provisions of section 121(a) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10141(a)), section 161 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2201(b)), and any other authority of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to set generally applicable standards for the Yucca Mountain site, the Administrator shall, based upon and consistent with the findings and recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences, promulgate, by rule, public health and safety standards for protection of the public from releases from radioactive materials stored or disposed of in the repository at the Yucca Mountain site. Such standards shall prescribe the maximum annual effective dose equivalent to individual members of the public from releases to the accessible environment from radioactive materials stored or disposed of in the repository. The standards shall be promulgated not later than 1 year after the Administrator receives the findings and recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences under paragraph (2) and shall be the only such standards applicable to the Yucca Mountain site."(2) STUDY BY NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.-Within 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 24, 1992], the Administrator shall contract with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study to provide, by not later than December 31, 1993, findings and recommendations on reasonable standards for protection of the public health and safety, including-"(A) whether a health-based standard based upon doses to individual members of the public from releases to the accessible environment (as that term is defined in the regulations contained in subpart B of part 191 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on November 18, 1985) will provide a reasonable standard for protection of the health and safety of the general public;"(B) whether it is reasonable to assume that a system for post-closure oversight of the repository can be developed, based upon active institutional controls, that will prevent an unreasonable risk of breaching the repository's engineered or geologic barriers or increasing the exposure of individual members of the public to radiation beyond allowable limits; and"(C) whether it is possible to make scientifically supportable predictions of the probability that the repository's engineered or geologic barriers will be breached as a result of human intrusion over a period of 10,000 years."(3) APPLICABILITY.-The provisions of this section shall apply to the Yucca Mountain site, rather than any other authority of the Administrator to set generally applicable standards for radiation protection."(b) NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA.-"(1) MODIFICATIONS.-Not later than 1 year after the Administrator promulgates standards under subsection (a), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall, by rule, modify its technical requirements and criteria under section 121(b) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10141(b)), as necessary, to be consistent with the Administrator's standards promulgated under subsection (a)."(2) REQUIRED ASSUMPTIONS.-The Commission's requirements and criteria shall assume, to the extent consistent with the findings and recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences, that, following repository closure, the inclusion of engineered barriers and the Secretary's post-closure oversight of the Yucca Mountain site, in accordance with subsection (c), shall be sufficient to-"(A) prevent any activity at the site that poses an unreasonable risk of breaching the repository's engineered or geologic barriers; and"(B) prevent any increase in the exposure of individual members of the public to radiation beyond allowable limits."(c) POST-CLOSURE OVERSIGHT.-Following repository closure, the Secretary of Energy shall continue to oversee the Yucca Mountain site to prevent any activity at the site that poses an unreasonable risk of-"(1) breaching the repository's engineered or geologic barriers; or"(2) increasing the exposure of individual members of the public to radiation beyond allowable limits."
- Administrator
- The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Commission
- The term "Commission" means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1 See References in Text note below.
- 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.
- 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.
- engineered barriers
- The term "engineered barriers" means manmade components of a disposal system designed to prevent the release of radionuclides into the geologic medium involved. Such term includes the high-level radioactive waste form, high-level radioactive waste canisters, and other materials placed over and around such canisters.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- storage
- The term "storage" means retention of high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or transuranic waste with the intent to recover such waste or fuel for subsequent use, processing, or disposal.