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

Summary

The Commission must make rules that require a licensee for low-level radioactive waste disposal to provide an adequate bond, surety, or other financial plan so the site can be cleaned, decommissioned, closed, and reclaimed. The financial plan has to be approved by the Commission or, for sites in agreement States, by the State, before a disposal license is issued or, for licenses already in effect on January 7, 1983, before those licenses end. If long-term maintenance or monitoring will be needed, the Commission must make sure the licensee has set aside money or other financial arrangements so whoever owns the site after license end can carry out that work. The Secretary may take title and custody of the waste and the land after a license ends if the owner asks and the Commission finds three things: the site has been closed and decontaminated as required and the licensee followed the rules; the transfer will cost no money to the Federal Government; and federal ownership is needed or helpful to protect health, safety, or the environment. If the Secretary takes title, the Secretary must maintain the site to protect people and the environment. For waste from licensed recovery of zirconium, hafnium, and rare earths, the Secretary must take title when the site is cleaned and stabilized and the owner has approved financial arrangements for long-term care.