6 U.S.C. § 921: Domestic radiation detection…

Summary

All containers coming into the United States through the 22 seaports that receive the most container traffic must be scanned for radiation by December 31, 2007, subject to a related trade law. The Secretary must use next-generation detection technology when practical and must create a risk-based plan for where and when to place detection gear. That plan must say what kinds of equipment will be used (including using nonintrusive imaging with radiation detectors), give a timeline, set operating rules and training, evaluate health and safety with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, OSHA, and NIOSH, include a radiation risk-reduction plan, explain policy for using imaging with detectors, and have a classified annex for covert testing and priority details. The Secretary, working through the Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection and with NIST, must publish technical standards and recommended procedures that respect other U.S. and international standards and do not favor specific companies. The strategy must be fully implemented within 3 years after October 13, 2006. The plan must be expanded to cover all other U.S. ports no later than December 31, 2008, using risk assessments. The Secretary must also set up an Intermodal Rail Radiation Detection Test Center at a public port with on-dock rail to test rail-specific ideas.

Title 6, §921

Domestic Security, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Scanning containers

Subject to section 1318 of title 19, not later than December 31, 2007, all containers entering the United States through the 22 ports through which the greatest volume of containers enter the United States by vessel shall be scanned for radiation. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall deploy next generation radiation detection technology.

(b)Strategy

The Secretary shall develop a strategy for the deployment of radiation detection capabilities that includes—

(1)a risk-based prioritization of ports of entry at which radiation detection equipment will be deployed;

(2)a proposed timeline of when radiation detection equipment will be deployed at each port of entry identified under paragraph (1);

(3)the type of equipment to be used at each port of entry identified under paragraph (1), including the joint deployment and utilization of radiation detection equipment and nonintrusive imaging equipment;

(4)standard operating procedures for examining containers with such equipment, including sensor alarming, networking, and communications and response protocols;

(5)operator training plans;

(6)an evaluation of the environmental health and safety impacts of nonintrusive imaging technology and a radiation risk reduction plan, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, that seeks to minimize radiation exposure of workers and the public to levels as low as reasonably achievable;

(7)the policy of the Department for using nonintrusive imaging equipment in tandem with radiation detection equipment; and

(8)a classified annex that—

(A)details plans for covert testing; and

(B)outlines the risk-based prioritization of ports of entry identified under paragraph (1).

(c)Standards

The Secretary, acting through the Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection and in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall publish technical capability standards and recommended standard operating procedures for the use of nonintrusive imaging and radiation detection equipment in the United States. Such standards and procedures—

(1)should take into account relevant standards and procedures utilized by other Federal departments or agencies as well as those developed by international bodies; and

(2)shall not be designed so as to endorse specific companies or create sovereignty conflicts with participating countries.

(d)Implementation

Not later than 3 years after October 13, 2006, the Secretary shall fully implement the strategy developed under subsection (b).

(e)Expansion to other United States ports of entry

(1)In general

As soon as practicable after—

(A)implementation of the program for the examination of containers for radiation at ports of entry described in subsection (a); and

(B)submission of the strategy developed under subsection (b),

but not later than December 31, 2008, the Secretary shall expand the strategy developed under subsection (b), in a manner consistent with the requirements of subsection (b), to provide for the deployment of radiation detection capabilities at all other United States ports of entry not covered by the strategy developed under subsection (b).

(2)Risk assessment

In expanding the strategy under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall identify and assess the risks to those other ports of entry in order to determine what equipment and practices will best mitigate the risks.

(f)Intermodal Rail Radiation Detection Test Center

(1)Establishment

In accordance with subsection (b), and in order to comply with this section, the Secretary shall establish an Intermodal Rail Radiation Detection Test Center (referred to in this subsection as the “Test Center”).

(2)Projects

The Secretary shall conduct multiple, concurrent projects at the Test Center to rapidly identify and test concepts specific to the challenges posed by on-dock rail.

(3)Location

The Test Center shall be located within a public port facility at which a majority of the containerized cargo is directly laden from (or unladen to) on-dock, intermodal rail.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1816(b)(1), (2), redesignated subsecs. (f) to (h) as (c) to (e), respectively, and struck out former subsecs. (c) to (e). Prior to amendment, subsecs. (c) to (e) read as follows: “(c) Report.—Not later than 90 days after

October 13, 2006, the Secretary shall submit the strategy developed under subsection (b) to the appropriate congressional committees. “(d) Update.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the submission of the report under subsection (c), the Secretary shall provide a more complete evaluation under subsection (b)(6). “(e) Other weapons of mass destruction threats.—Not later than 180 days after

October 13, 2006, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the feasibility of, and a strategy for, the development of equipment to detect and prevent shielded nuclear and radiological threat material and chemical, biological, and other weapons of mass destruction from entering the United States.” Subsec. (e)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1816(b)(3), struck out “(and updating, if any, of that strategy under subsection (c))” after “under subsection (b)”. Subsecs. (f) to (i). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1816(b)(2), redesignated subsecs. (f) to (i) as (c) to (f), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Reference to the Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection deemed to be a reference to the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, see section 2(b)(1)(B) of Pub. L. 115–387, set out as a note under section 591 of this title.

§921 Domestic Radiation Detection and Imaging