§10171 Financial Arrangements for Low-level Radioactive Waste Site Closure

Summary

Require the Commission to make rules so that anyone getting a license to dispose of low-level radioactive waste must provide an adequate bond, surety, or other financial arrangement. The money or guarantee must cover cleaning up, taking apart, closing, and reclaiming the site, buildings, and equipment. The Commission or, in States with agreement, the State must approve the financial plan before a disposal license is issued, or for licenses already in effect, before they end on January 7, 1983. If long-term monitoring or maintenance will be needed, the Commission must make sure the licensee provides funding so the person who owns the site after license end can do that work. Allow the Secretary to take title and custody of the waste and land when the owner asks and the Commission finds cleanup rules are met, the transfer is at no cost to the Federal Government, and federal ownership is needed to protect health and the environment. If the Secretary takes custody, the Secretary must maintain the site to protect health and the environment. For waste from licensed recovery of zirconium, hafnium, and rare earths, the Secretary must take title and custody on the owner’s request once the site is cleaned, stabilized, and has approved long-term financial arrangements.