SUBCHAPTER IV—NUCLEAR WASTE NEGOTIATOR

§10241. "State" defined

For purposes of this subchapter, the term "State" means each of the several States and the District of Columbia.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §401, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–243; amended Pub. L. 102–486, title VIII, §802(b), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2923.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

Amendments

1992—Pub. L. 102–486 substituted "several States and the District of Columbia." for "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, any other territory or possession of the United States, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands."

§10242. Office of Nuclear Waste Negotiator

(a) Establishment

There is established the Office of the Nuclear Waste Negotiator that shall be an independent establishment in the executive branch.

(b) Nuclear Waste Negotiator

(1) The Office shall be headed by a Nuclear Waste Negotiator who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Negotiator shall hold office at the pleasure of the President, and shall be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule in section 5314 of title 5.

(2) The Negotiator shall attempt to find a State or Indian tribe willing to host a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility at a technically qualified site on reasonable terms and shall negotiate with any State or Indian tribe which expresses an interest in hosting a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §402, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–243; amended Pub. L. 100–507, §1, Oct. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 2541.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–507 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: "There is established within the Executive Office of the President the Office of the Nuclear Waste Negotiator."

§10243. Duties of Negotiator

(a) Negotiations with potential hosts

(1) The Negotiator shall—

(A) seek to enter into negotiations on behalf of the United States, with—

(i) the Governor of any State in which a potential site is located; and

(ii) the governing body of any Indian tribe on whose reservation a potential site is located; and

(B) attempt to reach a proposed agreement between the United States and any such State or Indian tribe specifying the terms and conditions under which such State or tribe would agree to host a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility within such State or reservation.

(2) In any case in which State law authorizes any person or entity other than the Governor to negotiate a proposed agreement under this section on behalf of the State, any reference in this subchapter to the Governor shall be considered to refer instead to such other person or entity.

(b) Consultation with affected States, subdivisions of States, and tribes

In addition to entering into negotiations under subsection (a), the Negotiator shall consult with any State, affected unit of local government, or any Indian tribe that the Negotiator determines may be affected by the siting of a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility and may include in any proposed agreement such terms and conditions relating to the interest of such States, affected units of local government, or Indian tribes as the Negotiator determines to be reasonable and appropriate.

(c) Consultation with other Federal agencies

The Negotiator may solicit and consider the comments of the Secretary, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or any other Federal agency on the suitability of any potential site for site characterization. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require the Secretary, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or any other Federal agency to make a finding that any such site is suitable for site characterization.

(d) Proposed agreement

(1) The Negotiator shall submit to the Congress any proposed agreement between the United States and a State or Indian tribe negotiated under subsection (a) and an environmental assessment prepared under section 10244(a) of this title for the site concerned.

(2) Any such proposed agreement shall contain such terms and conditions (including such financial and institutional arrangements) as the Negotiator and the host State or Indian tribe determine to be reasonable and appropriate and shall contain such provisions as are necessary to preserve any right to participation or compensation of such State, affected unit of local government, or Indian tribe under sections 10136(c), 10137, and 10138(b) of this title.

(3)(A) No proposed agreement entered into under this section shall have legal effect unless enacted into Federal law.

(B) A State or Indian tribe shall enter into an agreement under this section in accordance with the laws of such State or tribe. Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit the disapproval of a proposed agreement between a State and the United States under this section by a referendum or an act of the legislature of such State.

(4) Notwithstanding any proposed agreement under this section, the Secretary may construct a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility at a site agreed to under this subchapter only if authorized by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], title II of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 5841 et seq.) and any other law applicable to authorization of such construction.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §403, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–244.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (d)(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 1982, referred to in subsec. (d)(4), probably means the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, 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.

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

§10244. Environmental assessment of sites

(a) In general

Upon the request of the Negotiator, the Secretary shall prepare an environmental assessment of any site that is the subject of negotiations under section 10243(a) of this title.

(b) Contents

(1) Each environmental assessment prepared for a repository site shall include a detailed statement of the probable impacts of characterizing such site and the construction and operation of a repository at such site.

(2) Each environmental assessment prepared for a monitored retrievable storage facility site shall include a detailed statement of the probable impacts of construction and operation of such a facility at such site.

(c) Judicial review

The issuance of an environmental assessment under subsection (a) shall be considered to be a final agency action subject to judicial review in accordance with the provisions of chapter 7 of title 5 and section 10139 of this title.

(d) Public hearings

(1) In preparing an environmental assessment for any repository or monitored retrievable storage facility site, the Secretary shall hold public hearings in the vicinity of such site to inform the residents of the area in which such site is located that such site is being considered and to receive their comments.

(2) At such hearings, the Secretary shall solicit and receive any recommendations of such residents with respect to issues that should be addressed in the environmental assessment required under subsection (a) and the site characterization plan described in section 10133(b)(1) of this title.

(e) Public availability

Each environmental assessment prepared under subsection (a) shall be made available to the public.

(f) Evaluation of sites

(1) In preparing an environmental assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use available geophysical, geologic, geochemical and hydrologic, and other information and shall not conduct any preliminary borings or excavations at any site that is the subject of such assessment unless—

(A) such preliminary boring or excavation activities were in progress on or before December 22, 1987; or

(B) the Secretary certifies that, in the absence of preliminary borings or excavations, adequate information will not be available to satisfy the requirements of this chapter or any other law.

(2) No preliminary boring or excavation conducted under this section shall exceed a diameter of 40 inches.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §404, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–245.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

§10245. Site characterization; licensing

(a) Site characterization

Upon enactment of legislation to implement an agreement to site a repository negotiated under section 10243(a) of this title, the Secretary shall conduct appropriate site characterization activities for the site that is the subject of such agreement subject to the conditions and terms of such agreement. Any such site characterization activities shall be conducted in accordance with section 10133 of this title, except that references in such section to the Yucca Mountain site and the State of Nevada shall be deemed to refer to the site that is the subject of the agreement and the State or Indian tribe entering into the agreement.

(b) Licensing

(1) Upon the completion of site characterization activities carried out under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission an application for construction authorization for a repository at such site.

(2) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall consider an application for a construction authorization for a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility in accordance with the laws applicable to such applications, except that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall issue a final decision approving or disapproving the issuance of a construction authorization not later than 3 years after the date of the submission of such application.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §405, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–246.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

§10246. Monitored retrievable storage

(a) Construction and operation

Upon enactment of legislation to implement an agreement negotiated under section 10243(a) of this title to site a monitored retrievable storage facility, the Secretary shall construct and operate such facility as part of an integrated nuclear waste management system in accordance with the terms and conditions of such agreement.

(b) Financial assistance

The Secretary may make grants to any State, Indian tribe, or affected unit of local government to assess the feasibility of siting a monitored retrievable storage facility under this section at a site under the jurisdiction of such State, tribe, or affected unit of local government.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §406, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–246.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

§10247. Environmental impact statement

(a) In general

Issuance of a construction authorization for a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility under section 10245(b) of this title shall be considered a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

(b) Preparation

A final environmental impact statement shall be prepared by the Secretary under such Act and shall accompany any application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction authorization.

(c) Adoption

(1) Any such environmental impact statement shall, to the extent practicable, be adopted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in accordance with section 1506.3 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, in connection with the issuance by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of a construction authorization and license for such repository or monitored retrievable storage facility.

(2)(A) In any such statement prepared with respect to a repository to be constructed under this subchapter at the Yucca Mountain site, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission need not consider the need for a repository, the time of initial availability of a repository, alternate sites to the Yucca Mountain site, or nongeologic alternatives to such site.

(B) In any such statement prepared with respect to a repository to be constructed under this subchapter at a site other than the Yucca Mountain site, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission need not consider the need for a repository, the time of initial availability of a repository, or nongeologic alternatives to such site but shall consider the Yucca Mountain site as an alternate to such site in the preparation of such statement.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §407, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–246.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), 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.

§10248. Administrative powers of Negotiator

In carrying out his functions under this subchapter, the Negotiator may—

(1) appoint such officers and employees as he determines to be necessary and prescribe their duties;

(2) obtain services as authorized by section 3109 of title 5, at rates not to exceed the rate prescribed for grade GS–18 of the General Schedule by section 5332 of title 5;

(3) promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out such functions;

(4) utilize the services, personnel, and facilities of other Federal agencies (subject to the consent of the head of any such agency);

(5) for purposes of performing administrative functions under this subchapter, and to the extent funds are appropriated, enter into and perform such contracts, leases, cooperative agreements, or other transactions as may be necessary and on such terms as the Negotiator determines to be appropriate, with any agency or instrumentality of the United States, or with any public or private person or entity;

(6) accept voluntary and uncompensated services, notwithstanding the provisions of section 1342 of title 31;

(7) adopt an official seal, which shall be judicially noticed;

(8) use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States;

(9) hold such hearings as are necessary to determine the views of interested parties and the general public; and

(10) appoint advisory committees under chapter 10 of title 5.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §408, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–247; amended Pub. L. 117–286, §4(a)(273), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4336.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

Amendments

2022—Par. (10). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted "chapter 10 of title 5." for "the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)."

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, §101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

§10249. Cooperation of other departments and agencies

Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the United States, including any independent agency, may furnish the Negotiator such information as he determines to be necessary to carry out his functions under this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §409, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–247.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

§10250. Termination of Office

The Office shall cease to exist not later than 30 days after the date 7 years after December 22, 1987.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §410, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–247; amended Pub. L. 102–486, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2923.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.

Amendments

1992—Pub. L. 102–486 substituted "7 years" for "5 years".

§10251. Authorization of appropriations

Notwithstanding subsection (d) of section 10222 of this title, and subject to subsection (e) of such section, there are authorized to be appropriated for expenditures from amounts in the Waste Fund established in subsection (c) of such section, such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, §411, as added Pub. L. 100–202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–248.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.