42 U.S.C. § 2297h-10

Current through P.L. 118-106 (published on www.congress.gov on 10/04/2024)

Section 2297h-10 - Uranium transfers and sales

(a) Transfers and sales by Secretary

The Secretary shall not provide enrichment services or transfer or sell any uranium (including natural uranium concentrates, natural uranium hexafluoride, or enriched uranium in any form) to any person except as consistent with this section.

(b) Russian HEU

(1) On or before December 31, 1996, the United States Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement shall transfer to the Secretary without charge title to an amount of uranium hexafluoride equivalent to the natural uranium component of low-enriched uranium derived from at least 18 metric tons of highly enriched uranium purchased from the Russian Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement. The quantity of such uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Secretary shall be based on a tails assay of 0.30 U²³⁵. Uranium hexafluoride transferred to the Secretary pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed under United States law for all purposes to be of Russian origin.

(2) Within 7 years of April 26, 1996, the Secretary shall sell, and receive payment for, the uranium hexafluoride transferred to the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1). Such uranium hexafluoride shall be sold-

(A) at any time for use in the United States for the purpose of overfeeding;

(B) at any time for end use outside the United States;

(C) in 1995 and 1996 to the Russian Executive Agent at the purchase price for use in matched sales pursuant to the Suspension Agreement; or,¹

(D) in calendar year 2001 for consumption by end users in the United States not prior to January 1, 2002, in volumes not to exceed 3,000,000 pounds U₃O₈ equivalent per year.

(3) With respect to all enriched uranium delivered to the United States Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement on or after January 1, 1997, the United States Executive Agent shall, upon request of the Russian Executive Agent, enter into an agreement to deliver concurrently to the Russian Executive Agent an amount of uranium hexafluoride equivalent to the natural uranium component of such uranium. An agreement executed pursuant to a request of the Russian Executive Agent, as contemplated in this paragraph, may pertain to any deliveries due during any period remaining under the Russian HEU Agreement. The quantity of such uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent shall be based on a tails assay of 0.30 U²³⁵. Title to uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent pursuant to this paragraph shall transfer to the Russian Executive Agent upon delivery of such material to the Russian Executive Agent, with such delivery to take place at a North American facility designated by the Russian Executive Agent. Uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed under U.S. law for all purposes to be of Russian origin. Such uranium hexafluoride may be sold to any person or entity for delivery and use in the United States only as permitted in subsections (b)(5), (b)(6) and (b)(7) of this section.

(4) In the event that the Russian Executive Agent does not exercise its right to enter into an agreement to take delivery of the natural uranium component of any low-enriched uranium, as contemplated in paragraph (3), within 90 days of the date such low-enriched uranium is delivered to the United States Executive Agent, or upon request of the Russian Executive Agent, then the United States Executive Agent shall engage an independent entity through a competitive selection process to auction an amount of uranium hexafluoride or U₃O₈ (in the event that the conversion component of such hexafluoride has previously been sold) equivalent to the natural uranium component of such low-enriched uranium. An agreement executed pursuant to a request of the Russian Executive Agent, as contemplated in this paragraph, may pertain to any deliveries due during any period remaining under the Russian HEU Agreement. Such independent entity shall sell such uranium hexafluoride in one or more lots to any person or entity to maximize the proceeds from such sales, for disposition consistent with the limitations set forth in this subsection. The independent entity shall pay to the Russian Executive Agent the proceeds of any such auction less all reasonable transaction and other administrative costs. The quantity of such uranium hexafluoride auctioned shall be based on a tails assay of 0.30 U²³⁵. Title to uranium hexafluoride auctioned pursuant to this paragraph shall transfer to the buyer of such material upon delivery of such material to the buyer. Uranium hexafluoride auctioned pursuant to this paragraph shall be deemed under United States law for all purposes to be of Russian origin.

(5) Except as provided in paragraphs (6) and (7), uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent under paragraph (3) or auctioned pursuant to paragraph (4), may not be delivered for consumption by end users in the United States either directly or indirectly prior to January 1, 1998, and thereafter only in accordance with the following schedule:

Annual Maximum Deliveries to End Users
	(millions lbs. U3O8 equivalent)
Year:
1998	2
1999	4
2000	6
2001	8
2002	10
2003	12
2004	14
2005	16
2006	17
2007	18
2008	19
2009 and each year thereafter	20.

(6) Uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent under paragraph (3) or auctioned pursuant to paragraph (4) may be sold at any time as Russian-origin natural uranium in a matched sale pursuant to the Suspension Agreement, and in such case shall not be counted against the annual maximum deliveries set forth in paragraph (5).

(7) Uranium hexafluoride delivered to the Russian Executive Agent under paragraph (3) or auctioned pursuant to paragraph (4) may be sold at any time for use in the United States for the purpose of overfeeding in the operations of enrichment facilities.

(8) Nothing in this subsection (b) shall restrict the sale of the conversion component of such uranium hexafluoride.

(9) The Secretary of Commerce shall have responsibility for the administration and enforcement of the limitations set forth in this subsection. The Secretary of Commerce may require any person to provide any certifications, information, or take any action that may be necessary to enforce these limitations. The United States Customs Service shall maintain and provide any information required by the Secretary of Commerce and shall take any action requested by the Secretary of Commerce which is necessary for the administration and enforcement of the uranium delivery limitations set forth in this section.

(10) The President shall monitor the actions of the United States Executive Agent under the Russian HEU Agreement and shall report to the Congress not later than December 31 of each year on the effect the low-enriched uranium delivered under the Russian HEU Agreement is having on the domestic uranium mining, conversion, and enrichment industries, and the operation of the gaseous diffusion plants. Such report shall include a description of actions taken or proposed to be taken by the President to prevent or mitigate any material adverse impact on such industries or any loss of employment at the gaseous diffusion plants as a result of the Russian HEU Agreement.

(c) Transfers to Corporation

(1) The Secretary shall transfer to the Corporation without charge up to 50 metric tons of enriched uranium and up to 7,000 metric tons of natural uranium from the Department of Energy's stockpile, subject to the restrictions in subsection (c)(2).

(2) The Corporation shall not deliver for commercial end use in the United States-

(A) any of the uranium transferred under this subsection before January 1, 1998;

(B) more than 10 percent of the uranium (by uranium hexafluoride equivalent content) transferred under this subsection or more than 4,000,000 pounds, whichever is less, in any calendar year after 1997; or

(C) more than 800,000 separative work units contained in low-enriched uranium transferred under this subsection in any calendar year.

(d) Inventory sales

(1) In addition to the transfers authorized under subsections (c) and (e), the Secretary may, from time to time, sell natural and low-enriched uranium (including low-enriched uranium derived from highly enriched uranium) from the Department of Energy's stockpile.

(2) Except as provided in subsections (b), (c), and (e), no sale or transfer of natural or low-enriched uranium shall be made unless-

(A) the President determines that the material is not necessary for national security needs,

(B) the Secretary determines that the sale of the material will not have an adverse material impact on the domestic uranium mining, conversion, or enrichment industry, taking into account the sales of uranium under the Russian HEU Agreement and the Suspension Agreement, and

(C) the price paid to the Secretary will not be less than the fair market value of the material.

(e) Government transfers

Notwithstanding subsection (d)(2), the Secretary may transfer or sell enriched uranium-

(1) to a Federal agency if the material is transferred for the use of the receiving agency without any resale or transfer to another entity and the material does not meet commercial specifications;

(2) to any person for national security purposes, as determined by the Secretary; or

(3) to any State or local agency or nonprofit, charitable, or educational institution for use other than the generation of electricity for commercial use.

(f) Savings provision

Nothing in this subchapter shall be read to modify the terms of the Russian HEU Agreement.

¹So in original.

42 U.S.C. § 2297h-10

Pub. L. 104-134, title III, §31123112,, 110 Stat. 1321-344.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXTThis subchapter, referred to in subsec. (f), means subchapter A of chapter 1 of title III of Pub. L. 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321-335, known as the USEC Privatization Act, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of subchapter A to the Code, see Short Title of 1996 Amendment note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

CODIFICATIONSection was enacted as part of the USEC Privatization Act and also as part of the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, and not as part of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 which comprises this chapter.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONSFor transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107-296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114-125 and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114-125 set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.

Secretary

The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1 See References in Text note below.