42 U.S.C. § 10165

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)
Section 10165 - Site selection
(a) In general

The Secretary may select the site evaluated under section 10164 of this title that the Secretary determines on the basis of available information to be the most suitable for a monitored retrievable storage facility that is an integral part of the system for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste established under this chapter.

(b) Limitation

The Secretary may not select a site under subsection (a) until the Secretary recommends to the President the approval of a site for development as a repository under section 10134(a) of this title.

(c) Site specific activities

The Secretary may conduct such site specific activities at each site surveyed under section 10164 of this title as he determines may be necessary to support an application to the Commission for a license to construct a monitored retrievable storage facility at such site.

(d) Environmental assessment

Site specific activities and selection of a site under 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)). The Secretary shall prepare an environmental assessment with respect to such selection in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary implementing such Act [42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.]. Such environmental assessment shall be based upon available information regarding alternative technologies for the storage of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. The Secretary shall submit such environmental assessment to the Congress at the time such site is selected.

(e) Notification before selection
(1) At least 6 months before selecting a site under subsection (a), the Secretary shall notify the Governor and legislature of the 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, of such potential selection and the basis for such selection.
(2) Before selecting any site under subsection (a), the Secretary shall hold at least one public hearing in the vicinity of such site to solicit any recommendations of interested parties with respect to issues raised by the selection of such site.
(f) Notification of selection

The Secretary shall promptly notify Congress and the appropriate State or Indian tribe of the selection under subsection (a).

(g) Limitation

No monitored retrievable storage facility authorized pursuant to section 10162(b) of this title may be constructed in the State of Nevada.

42 U.S.C. § 10165

Pub. L. 97-425, title I, §145, as added Pub. L. 100-202, §101(d) [title III, §300], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329-104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100-203, title V, §5021, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330-234.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThe National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsec. (d), 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.

CODIFICATION Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203 added identical sections.

Commission
The term "Commission" means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Governor
The term "Governor" means the chief executive officer of a State.
Indian tribe
The term "Indian tribe" means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians recognized as eligible for the services provided to Indians by the Secretary of the Interior because of their status as Indians, including any Alaska Native village, as defined in section 3(c) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(c)).
Secretary
The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1 See References in Text note below.
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.
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.
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.