42 U.S.C. § 10247

Current through P.L. 118-47 (published on www.congress.gov on 03/23/2024)

Section 10247 - Environmental impact statement

(a) In general

Issuance of a construction authorization for a repository or monitored retrievable storage facility under section 10245(b) of this title shall be considered a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

(b) Preparation

A final environmental impact statement shall be prepared by the Secretary under such Act and shall accompany any application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction authorization.

(c) Adoption

(1) Any such environmental impact statement shall, to the extent practicable, be adopted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in accordance with section 1506.3 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, in connection with the issuance by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of a construction authorization and license for such repository or monitored retrievable storage facility.

(2)

(A) In any such statement prepared with respect to a repository to be constructed under this subchapter at the Yucca Mountain site, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission need not consider the need for a repository, the time of initial availability of a repository, alternate sites to the Yucca Mountain site, or nongeologic alternatives to such site.

(B) In any such statement prepared with respect to a repository to be constructed under this subchapter at a site other than the Yucca Mountain site, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission need not consider the need for a repository, the time of initial availability of a repository, or nongeologic alternatives to such site but shall consider the Yucca Mountain site as an alternate to such site in the preparation of such statement.

42 U.S.C. § 10247

Pub. L. 97-425, title IV, §407, as added Pub. L. 100-202, §101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329-104, 1329-121; Pub. L. 100-203, title V, §5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330-246.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThe National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is Pub. L. 91-190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§4321 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4321 of this title and Tables.

CODIFICATION Pub. L. 100-202 and Pub. L. 100-203 added identical sections.

Commission: The term "Commission" means the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Secretary: The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Energy.
Yucca Mountain site: The term "Yucca Mountain site" means the candidate site in the State of Nevada recommended by the Secretary to the President under section 10132(b)(1)(B) of this title on May 27, 1986.
monitored retrievable storage facility: The term "monitored retrievable storage facility" means the storage facility described in section 10161(b)(1) of this title.1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.2 See References in Text note below.
repository: The term "repository" means any system licensed by the Commission that is intended to be used for, or may be used for, the permanent deep geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, whether or not such system is designed to permit the recovery, for a limited period during initial operation, of any materials placed in such system. Such term includes both surface and subsurface areas at which high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel handling activities are conducted.