Uranium Revitalization and Tailings Reclamation Act of 1986

Summary

Uranium Mill Tailings Reclamation Act of 1985 - Directs the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to perform specified remedial actions and long-term maintenance and monitoring at active thorium and uranium processing sites. Authorizes the Secretary to designate either the State in which such sites are located, or the owners or licensees of such sites, to perform the remedial actions, monitoring, and maintenance. Sets applicable standards for such remedial action. Requires the consent of the owner of any such site before remedial actions may commence, unless the Secretary determines that a permanent cessation of operations leading to the production of byproduct material has occurred. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a contract for remedial action with the owner or licensee of an active site. Requires any license pertaining to byproduct material (and any ownership of such byproduct material) to be transferred to the Secretary when remedial actions begin. Provides that the costs for remedial action and long-term maintenance and monitoring performed by the Secretary shall be paid from the Uranium Mill Tailings Fund established by this Act. Authorizes owners or licensees of an active site initially licensed after the effective date of this Act to perform remedial actions. Prescribes guidelines under which the Secretary shall reimburse the licensee (or property owner of record) the costs of remedial action performed at sites active on January 1, 1978. Grants the Secretary contract authority to undertake remedial action for uranium and thorium mills initially licensed after the effective date of this Act. Requires each contracting owner or licensee to reimburse the Tailings Fund for all reasonable costs associated with the remedial actions performed by the Secretary. Requires contracts entered into after the effective date of this Act for the purchase or sale or uranium or thorium to include remedial action funding provisions for costs attributable to uranium and thorium processing activities. Establishes the Uranium Mill Tailings Fund (the Fund) in the Treasury to be used by the Secretary of Energy for expenditures in connection with remedial actions and long-term maintenance and monitoring of uranium and thorium processing activities. Prescribes guidelines for the administration of the Fund by the Secretary of the Treasury. Requires: (1) the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to the Congress on the Fund's financial condition; and (2) the Secretary of Energy to submit the budget of the Fund to the Office of Managment and Budget annually along with the budget of the Department of Energy. Apportions responsibility for remedial action costs associated with uranium and thorium processing activities undertaken by the Secretary before the effective date of this Act among: (1) the owners or licensees of relevant active sites; (2) the Federal Government; and (3) persons using source material or special nuclear material for a civilian nuclear power reactor to generate electrical energy. Prescribes a cost-calculation formula. Requires the Federal Government to pay into the Fund 30 percent of remedial action costs associated with the extraction of uranium and thorium for use primarily in U.S. defense programs. Sets forth a fee schedule for persons using source or special nuclear material for a civilian nuclear power reactor to generate electricity. Directs the Secretary to propose to the Congress adjustments of the fee schedule if the Secretary determines that such adjustment is necessary to recover Federal costs incurred for active site remedial actions. Prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (the Commission) from issuing or renewing a license to any person to use a utilization or production facility (or to use special nuclear material at such facility) unless such person has agreed with the Secretary on the apportionment of remedial action costs. Authorizes the Commission to condition issuance of such license upon an applicant's agreement with the Secretary for the disposal of byproduct material. Limits the financial obligation of active site owners and of persons using source material (or special nuclear material for a civilian nuclear power reactor to generate electricity) to the fee apportionment formula promulgated under this Act. Amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to make technical and conforming changes. Authorizes appropriations.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 20 September 1986

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 25 April 1985

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.