42 U.S.C. § 7925: Active operations; liability…

Summary

Money from this program cannot be spent at sites licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or by a State under section 274 where uranium was produced from ore. That rule does not stop moving leftover radioactive material from a processing site to a Title II licensed site or paying to dispose of it. For each designated processing site, the Attorney General must study who (not the United States, a State, or an Indian tribe) owned, operated, or controlled the site before November 8, 1978 and whether they may be legally responsible for cleanup. He must publish the study and send it to Congress promptly. Based on the study, he may use laws in effect when the uranium was produced to require those people to pay all or part of the cleanup costs if he decides it is appropriate.

Title 42, §7925

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

(a)No amount may be expended under this subchapter with respect to any site licensed by the Commission under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.] or by a State as permitted under section 274 of such Act [42 U.S.C. 2021] at which production of any uranium product from ores (other than from residual radioactive materials) takes place. This subsection does not prohibit the disposal of residual radioactive material from a processing site under this subchapter at a site licensed under title II or the expenditure of funds under this subchapter for such disposal.

(b)In the case of each processing site designated under this subchapter, the Attorney General shall conduct a study to determine the identity and legal responsibility which any person (other than the United States, a State, or Indian tribe) who owned or operated or controlled (as determined by the Attorney General) such site before November 8, 1978, may have under any law or rule of law for reclamation or other remedial action with respect to such site. The Attorney General shall publish the results of such study, and provide copies thereof to the Congress, as promptly as practicable following November 8, 1978. The Attorney General, based on such study, shall, to the extent he deems it appropriate and in the public interest, take such action under any provision of law in effect when uranium was produced at such site to require payment by such person of all or any part of the costs incurred by the United States for such remedial action for which he determines such person is liable.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (a), 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. Title II, referred to in subsec. (a), is title II (§§ 201–209) of Pub. L. 95–604, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3033, which enacted section 2022, 2113, 2114 of this title, amended section 2014, 2021, 2111, and 2201 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 2014, 2021, and 2113 of this title. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–259 inserted at end “This subsection does not prohibit the disposal of residual radioactive material from a processing site under this subchapter at a site licensed under title II or the expenditure of funds under this subchapter for such disposal.”

§7925 Active Operations; Liability for Remedial Action