42 U.S.C. § 2286c: Responsibilities of…

Summary

The Secretary of Energy must work with the Board and give it quick, unrestricted access to DOE defense nuclear sites, workers, and information the Board needs. Contractors running those sites must also cooperate and allow access if their contract allows or if they agree. Access must be given no matter the facility’s hazard or risk level. The Secretary can refuse access only if a person lacks a needed security clearance or does not need the information for their job. If the Board asks in writing and is denied, the Secretary must tell the Board in writing. On January 1 and July 1 of each year beginning in 2020, the Board must report to the congressional defense committees each written request it made that was denied in the prior six months, and the Secretary must report which requests were denied and why. Congressional defense committees — the committees named in 10 U.S.C. 101(a). The Board must not publicly release information given under these rules if other laws keep it secret, such as internal deliberative records.

Title 42, §2286c

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Cooperation

Except as specifically provided by this section, the Secretary of Energy shall fully cooperate with the Board and provide the Board with prompt and unfettered access to such facilities, personnel, and information as the Board considers necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this subchapter. Each contractor operating a Department of Energy defense nuclear facility under a contract awarded by the Secretary shall, to the extent provided in such contract or otherwise with the contractor’s consent, fully cooperate with the Board and provide the Board with prompt and unfettered access to such facilities, personnel, and information of the contractor as the Board considers necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this subchapter. The access provided to defense nuclear facilities, personnel, and information under this subsection shall be provided without regard to the hazard or risk category assigned to a facility by the Secretary.

(b)Authority of Secretary to deny information

(1)The Secretary may deny access to information under subsection (a) only to any person who—

(A)has not been granted an appropriate security clearance or access authorization by the Secretary; or

(B)does not need such access in connection with the duties of such person.

(2)If the Board requests access to information under subsection (a) in written form, and the Secretary denies access to such information pursuant to paragraph (1)—

(A)the Secretary shall provide the Board notice of such denial in written form; and

(B)not later than January 1 and July 1 of each year beginning in 2020—

(i)the Board shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report identifying each request for access to information under subsection (a) submitted to the Secretary in written form during the preceding six-month period and denied by the Secretary; and

(ii)the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report identifying—

(I)each such request denied by the Secretary during that period; and

(II)the reason for the denial.

(3)In this subsection, the term “congressional defense committees” has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of title 10.

(c)Application of nondisclosure protections by Board

The Board may not publicly disclose information provided under this section if such information is otherwise protected from disclosure by law, including deliberative process information.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, § 3202(c)(1), substituted “Except as specifically provided by this section, the Secretary of Energy” for “The Secretary of Energy” and “prompt and unfettered access” for “ready access” in two places, and inserted at end “The access provided to defense nuclear facilities, personnel, and information under this subsection shall be provided without regard to the hazard or risk category assigned to a facility by the Secretary.” Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 116–92, § 3202(c)(2), added subsecs. (b) and (c) and struck out former subsec. (b) which authorized the Secretary of Energy to deny access to unauthorized persons to information provided to the Board.

§2286c Responsibilities of Secretary of Energy

Summary

Title 42, §2286c

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata