1. U.S. Code
  2. title 42
  3. chapter 108
  4. subchapter III
  5. § 10224

Collapse to view only § 10224. Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

§ 10221. Mission plan
(a) Contents of mission plan
The Secretary shall prepare a comprehensive report, to be known as the mission plan, which shall provide an informational basis sufficient to permit informed decisions to be made in carrying out the repository program and the research, development, and demonstration programs required under this chapter. The mission plan shall include—
(1) an identification of the primary scientific, engineering, and technical information, including any necessary demonstration of engineering or systems integration, with respect to the siting and construction of a test and evaluation facility and repositories;
(2) an identification of any information described in paragraph (1) that is not available because of any unresolved scientific, engineering, or technical questions, or undemonstrated engineering or systems integration, a schedule including specific major milestones for the research, development, and technology demonstration program required under this chapter and any additional activities to be undertaken to provide such information, a schedule for the activities necessary to achieve important programmatic milestones, and an estimate of the costs required to carry out such research, development, and demonstration programs;
(3) an evaluation of financial, political, legal, or institutional problems that may impede the implementation of this chapter, the plans of the Secretary to resolve such problems, and recommendations for any necessary legislation to resolve such problems;
(4) any comments of the Secretary with respect to the purpose and program of the test and evaluation facility;
(5) a discussion of the significant results of research and development programs conducted and the implications for each of the different geologic media under consideration for the siting of repositories, and, on the basis of such information, a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of such media for repository sites;
(6) the guidelines issued under section 10132(a) of this title;
(7) a description of known sites at which site characterization activities should be undertaken, a description of such siting characterization activities, including the extent of planned excavations, plans for onsite testing with radioactive or nonradioactive material, plans for any investigations activities which may affect the capability of any such site to isolate high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel, plans to control any adverse, safety-related impacts from such site characterization activities, and plans for the decontamination and decommissioning of such site if it is determined unsuitable for licensing as a repository;
(8) an identification of the process for solidifying high-level radioactive waste or packaging spent nuclear fuel, including a summary and analysis of the data to support the selection of the solidification process and packaging techniques, an analysis of the requirements for the number of solidification packaging facilities needed, a description of the state of the art for the materials proposed to be used in packaging such waste or spent fuel and the availability of such materials including impacts on strategic supplies and any requirements for new or reactivated facilities to produce any such materials needed, and a description of a plan, and the schedule for implementing such plan, for an aggressive research and development program to provide when needed a high-integrity disposal package at a reasonable price;
(9) an estimate of (A) the total repository capacity required to safely accommodate the disposal of all high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel expected to be generated through December 31, 2020, in the event that no commercial reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel occurs, as well as the repository capacity that will be required if such reprocessing does occur; (B) the number and type of repositories required to be constructed to provide such disposal capacity; (C) a schedule for the construction of such repositories; and (D) an estimate of the period during which each repository listed in such schedule will be accepting high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel for disposal;
(10) an estimate, on an annual basis, of the costs required (A) to construct and operate the repositories anticipated to be needed under paragraph (9) based on each of the assumptions referred to in such paragraph; (B) to construct and operate a test and evaluation facility, or any other facilities, other than repositories described in subparagraph (A), determined to be necessary; and (C) to carry out any other activities under this chapter; and
(11) an identification of the possible adverse economic and other impacts to the State or Indian tribe involved that may arise from the development of a test and evaluation facility or repository at a site.
(b) Submission of mission plan
(1) Not later than 15 months after January 7, 1983, the Secretary shall submit a draft mission plan to the States, the affected Indian tribes, the Commission, and other Government agencies as the Secretary deems appropriate for their comments.
(2) In preparing any comments on the mission plan, such agencies shall specify with precision any objections that they may have. Upon submission of the mission plan to such agencies, the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register of the submission of the mission plan and of its availability for public inspection, and, upon receipt of any comments of such agencies respecting the mission plan, the Secretary shall publish a notice in the Federal Register of the receipt of comments and of the availability of the comments for public inspection. If the Secretary does not revise the mission plan to meet objections specified in such comments, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a detailed statement for not so revising the mission plan.
(3) The Secretary, after reviewing any other comments made by such agencies and revising the mission plan to the extent that the Secretary may consider to be appropriate, shall submit the mission plan to the appropriate committees of the Congress not later than 17 months after January 7, 1983. The mission plan shall be used by the Secretary at the end of the first period of 30 calendar days (not including any day on which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than 3 calendar days to a day certain) following receipt of the mission plan by the Congress.
(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 301, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2255.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10221

§ 10222. Nuclear Waste Fund
(a) Contracts
(1) In the performance of his functions under this chapter, the Secretary is authorized to enter into contracts with any person who generates or holds title to high-level radioactive waste, or spent nuclear fuel, of domestic origin for the acceptance of title, subsequent transportation, and disposal of such waste or spent fuel. Such contracts shall provide for payment to the Secretary of fees pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) sufficient to offset expenditures described in subsection (d).
(2) For electricity generated by a civilian nuclear power reactor and sold on or after the date 90 days after January 7, 1983, the fee under paragraph (1) shall be equal to 1.0 mil per kilowatt-hour.
(3) For spent nuclear fuel, or solidified high-level radioactive waste derived from spent nuclear fuel, which fuel was used to generate electricity in a civilian nuclear power reactor prior to the application of the fee under paragraph (2) to such reactor, the Secretary shall, not later than 90 days after January 7, 1983, establish a 1 time fee per kilogram of heavy metal in spent nuclear fuel, or in solidified high-level radioactive waste. Such fee shall be in an amount equivalent to an average charge of 1.0 mil per kilowatt-hour for electricity generated by such spent nuclear fuel, or such solidified high-level waste derived therefrom, to be collected from any person delivering such spent nuclear fuel or high-level waste, pursuant to section 10143 of this title, to the Federal Government. Such fee shall be paid to the Treasury of the United States and shall be deposited in the separate fund established by subsection (c).1
1 See References in Text note below.
In paying such a fee, the person delivering spent fuel, or solidified high-level radioactive wastes derived therefrom, to the Federal Government shall have no further financial obligation to the Federal Government for the long-term storage and permanent disposal of such spent fuel, or the solidified high-level radioactive waste derived therefrom.
(4) Not later than 180 days after January 7, 1983, the Secretary shall establish procedures for the collection and payment of the fees established by paragraph (2) and paragraph (3). The Secretary shall annually review the amount of the fees established by paragraphs (2) and (3) above to evaluate whether collection of the fee will provide sufficient revenues to offset the costs as defined in subsection (d) herein. In the event the Secretary determines that either insufficient or excess revenues are being collected, in order to recover the costs incurred by the Federal Government that are specified in subsection (d), the Secretary shall propose an adjustment to the fee to insure full cost recovery. The Secretary shall immediately transmit this proposal for such an adjustment to Congress. The adjusted fee proposed by the Secretary shall be effective after a period of 90 days of continuous session have elapsed following the receipt of such transmittal unless during such 90-day period either House of Congress adopts a resolution disapproving the Secretary’s proposed adjustment in accordance with the procedures set forth for congressional review of an energy action under section 6421 of this title.
(5) Contracts entered into under this section shall provide that—
(A) following commencement of operation of a repository, the Secretary shall take title to the high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel involved as expeditiously as practicable upon the request of the generator or owner of such waste or spent fuel; and
(B) in return for the payment of fees established by this section, the Secretary, beginning not later than January 31, 1998, will dispose of the high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel involved as provided in this subchapter.1
(6) The Secretary shall establish in writing criteria setting forth the terms and conditions under which such disposal services shall be made available.
(b) Advance contracting requirement
(1)
(A) The Commission shall not issue or renew a license to any person to use a utilization or production facility under the authority of section 2133 or 2134 of this title unless—
(i) such person has entered into a contract with the Secretary under this section; or
(ii) the Secretary affirms in writing that such person is actively and in good faith negotiating with the Secretary for a contract under this section.
(B) The Commission, as it deems necessary or appropriate, may require as a precondition to the issuance or renewal of a license under section 2133 or 2134 of this title that the applicant for such license shall have entered into an agreement with the Secretary for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel that may result from the use of such license.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (1), no spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste generated or owned by any person (other than a department of the United States referred to in section 101 or 102 of title 5) may be disposed of by the Secretary in any repository constructed under this chapter unless the generator or owner of such spent fuel or waste has entered into a contract with the Secretary under this section by not later than—
(A)June 30, 1983; or
(B) the date on which such generator or owner commences generation of, or takes title to, such spent fuel or waste;
whichever occurs later.
(3) The rights and duties of a party to a contract entered into under this section may be assignable with transfer of title to the spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste involved.
(4) No high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel generated or owned by any department of the United States referred to in section 101 or 102 of title 5 may be disposed of by the Secretary in any repository constructed under this chapter unless such department transfers to the Secretary, for deposit in the Nuclear Waste Fund, amounts equivalent to the fees that would be paid to the Secretary under the contracts referred to in this section if such waste or spent fuel were generated by any other person.
(c) Establishment of Nuclear Waste FundThere hereby is established in the Treasury of the United States a separate fund, to be known as the Nuclear Waste Fund. The Waste Fund shall consist of—
(1) all receipts, proceeds, and recoveries realized by the Secretary under subsections (a), (b), and (e), which shall be deposited in the Waste Fund immediately upon their realization;
(2) any appropriations made by the Congress to the Waste Fund; and
(3) any unexpended balances available on January 7, 1983, for functions or activities necessary or incident to the disposal of civilian high-level radioactive waste or civilian spent nuclear fuel, which shall automatically be transferred to the Waste Fund on such date.
(d) Use of Waste FundThe Secretary may make expenditures from the Waste Fund, subject to subsection (e), only for purposes of radioactive waste disposal activities under subchapters I and II, including—
(1) the identification, development, licensing, construction, operation, decommissioning, and post-decommissioning maintenance and monitoring of any repository, monitored,2
2 So in original. The comma probably should not appear.
retrievable storage facility 3
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
or test and evaluation facility constructed under this chapter;
(2) the conducting of nongeneric research, development, and demonstration activities under this chapter;
(3) the administrative cost of the radioactive waste disposal program;
(4) any costs that may be incurred by the Secretary in connection with the transportation, treating, or packaging of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste to be disposed of in a repository, to be stored in a monitored,2 retrievable storage site 3 or to be used in a test and evaluation facility;
(5) the costs associated with acquisition, design, modification, replacement, operation, and construction of facilities at a repository site, a monitored,2 retrievable storage site 3 or a test and evaluation facility site and necessary or incident to such repository, monitored,2 retrievable storage facility 3 or test and evaluation facility; and
(6) the provision of assistance to States, units of general local government, and Indian tribes under sections 10136, 10138, and 10199 of this title.
No amount may be expended by the Secretary under this subchapter 1 for the construction or expansion of any facility unless such construction or expansion is expressly authorized by this or subsequent legislation. The Secretary hereby is authorized to construct one repository and one test and evaluation facility.
(e) Administration of Waste Fund
(1) The Secretary of the Treasury shall hold the Waste Fund and, after consultation with the Secretary, annually report to the Congress on the financial condition and operations of the Waste Fund during the preceding fiscal year.
(2) The Secretary shall submit the budget of the Waste Fund to the Office of Management and Budget triennially along with the budget of the Department of Energy submitted at such time in accordance with chapter 11 of title 31. The budget of the Waste Fund shall consist of the estimates made by the Secretary of expenditures from the Waste Fund and other relevant financial matters for the succeeding 3 fiscal years, and shall be included in the Budget of the United States Government. The Secretary may make expenditures from the Waste Fund, subject to appropriations which shall remain available until expended. Appropriations shall be subject to triennial authorization.
(3) If the Secretary determines that the Waste Fund contains at any time amounts in excess of current needs, the Secretary may request the Secretary of the Treasury to invest such amounts, or any portion of such amounts as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, in obligations of the United States—
(A) having maturities determined by the Secretary of the Treasury to be appropriate to the needs of the Waste Fund; and
(B) bearing interest at rates determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of the Treasury, taking into consideration the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the maturities of such investments, except that the interest rate on such investments shall not exceed the average interest rate applicable to existing borrowings.
(4) Receipts, proceeds, and recoveries realized by the Secretary under this section, and expenditures of amounts from the Waste Fund, shall be exempt from annual apportionment under the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 15 of title 31.
(5) If at any time the moneys available in the Waste Fund are insufficient to enable the Secretary to discharge his responsibilities under this subchapter,1 the Secretary shall issue to the Secretary of the Treasury obligations in such forms and denominations, bearing such maturities, and subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed to by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Treasury. The total of such obligations shall not exceed amounts provided in appropriation Acts. Redemption of such obligations shall be made by the Secretary from moneys available in the Waste Fund. Such obligations shall bear interest at a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, which shall be not less than a rate determined by taking into consideration the average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of comparable maturities during the month preceding the issuance of the obligations under this paragraph. The Secretary of the Treasury shall purchase any issued obligations, and for such purpose the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to use as a public debt transaction the proceeds from the sale of any securities issued under chapter 31 of title 31, and the purposes for which securities may be issued under such Act 1 are extended to include any purchase of such obligations. The Secretary of the Treasury may at any time sell any of the obligations acquired by him under this paragraph. All redemptions, purchases, and sales by the Secretary of the Treasury of obligations under this paragraph shall be treated as public debt transactions of the United States.
(6) Any appropriations made available to the Waste Fund for any purpose described in subsection (d) shall be repaid into the general fund of the Treasury, together with interest from the date of availability of the appropriations until the date of repayment. Such interest shall be paid on the cumulative amount of appropriations available to the Waste Fund, less the average undisbursed cash balance in the Waste Fund account during the fiscal year involved. The rate of such interest shall be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking into consideration the average market yield during the month preceding each fiscal year on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States of comparable maturity. Interest payments may be deferred with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, but any interest payments so deferred shall themselves bear interest.
(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 302, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2257.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10222

§ 10223. Alternative means of financing

The Secretary shall undertake a study with respect to alternative approaches to managing the construction and operation of all civilian radioactive waste management facilities, including the feasibility of establishing a private corporation for such purposes. In conducting such study, the Secretary shall consult with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of the Commission, and such other Federal agency representatives as may be appropriate. Such study shall be completed, and a report containing the results of such study shall be submitted to the Congress, within 1 year after January 7, 1983.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 303, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2261.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10223

§ 10224. Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
(a) Establishment
(b) Functions of Director
(c) Annual report to Congress
(d) Audit by GAO
(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 304, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2261; Pub. L. 104–66, title I, § 1052(l), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 719; Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b), July 7, 2004, 118 Stat. 814.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10224

§ 10225. Location of test and evaluation facility
(a) Report to Congress
(b) Procedures
(1) If the test and evaluation facility is to be located at any candidate site or repository site (A) site selection and development of such facility shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures and requirements established in subchapter I with respect to the site selection and development of repositories; and (B) the Secretary may not commence construction of any surface facility for such test and evaluation facility prior to issuance by the Commission of a construction authorization for a repository at the site involved.
(2) No test and evaluation facility may be converted into a repository unless site selection and development of such facility was conducted in accordance with the procedures and requirements established in subchapter I with respect to the site selection and development of respositories.1
1 So in original. Probably should be “repositories.”
(3) The Secretary may not commence construction of a test and evaluation facility at a candidate site or site recommended as the location for a repository prior to the date on which the designation of such site is effective under section 10135 of this title.
(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 305, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2262.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10225

§ 10226. Nuclear Regulatory Commission training authorization

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is authorized and directed to promulgate regulations, or other appropriate Commission regulatory guidance, for the training and qualifications of civilian nuclear powerplant operators, supervisors, technicians and other appropriate operating personnel. Such regulations or guidance shall establish simulator training requirements for applicants for civilian nuclear powerplant operator licenses and for operator requalification programs; requirements governing NRC administration of requalification examinations; requirements for operating tests at civilian nuclear powerplant simulators, and instructional requirements for civilian nuclear powerplant licensee personnel training programs. Such regulations or other regulatory guidance shall be promulgated by the Commission within the 12-month period following January 7, 1983, and the Commission within the 12-month period following January 7, 1983, shall submit a report to Congress setting forth the actions the Commission has taken with respect to fulfilling its obligations under this section.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title III, § 306, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2262.)

CITE AS: 42 USC 10226