§7274a. Defense waste cleanup technology program

(a) Establishment of program

The Secretary of Energy shall establish and carry out a program of research for the development of technologies useful for (1) the reduction of environmental hazards and contamination resulting from defense waste, and (2) environmental restoration of inactive defense waste disposal sites.

(b) Coordination of research activities

(1) In order to ensure nonduplication of research activities by the Department of Energy regarding technologies referred to in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall coordinate the research activities of the Department of Energy relating to the development of such technologies with the research activities of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, and other appropriate Federal agencies relating to the same matter.

(2) To the extent that funds are otherwise available for obligation, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, and other appropriate Federal agencies for the conduct of research for the development of technologies referred to in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Definitions

As used in this section:

(1) The term "defense waste" means waste, including radioactive waste, resulting primarily from atomic energy defense activities of the Department of Energy.

(2) The term "inactive defense waste disposal site" means any site (including any facility) under the control or jurisdiction of the Secretary of Energy which is used for the disposal of defense waste and is closed to the disposal of additional defense waste, including any site that is subject to decontamination and decommissioning.

( Pub. L. 101–189, div. C, title XXXI, §3141, Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1679 ; Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXI, §3152(g), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2042 .)

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991, and not as part of the Department of Energy Organization Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1997-Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 105–85 redesignated subsec. (d) as (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which required Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress not later than Apr. 1 each year a report on research activities of Department of Energy for development of technologies referred to in subsec. (a).