Federal Nuclear Facilities Environmental Response Act - Title I: Federal Nuclear Facility Environmental Response Fund - Establishes the Federal Nuclear Facilities Environmental Response Fund (the Fund). Authorizes appropriations for such Fund for FY 1991 and following years. Mandates that penalties assessed against the Department of Energy (DOE) and its nuclear facility contractors for specified environmental violations be transferred into the Fund. Mandates that an environmental violation assessed against: (1) DOE be paid only out of its operating budget; and (2) a DOE contractor be paid only by the contractor and not by DOE.
Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to the Congress regarding the Fund's financial status.
Requires the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) to: (1) prepare a budget plan for the timely completion of specified radioactive waste disposal activities; (2) promulgate rules for allocating remedial environmental costs among specified entities participating in DOE nuclear-related services; (3) annually notify each Federal agency of its proportionate share of designated radioactive waste disposal costs; and (4) assess a user fee from entities participating in DOE nuclear-related services.
Title II: Environmental Management and Remedial Action - Subtitle A: Plans for Compliance with Federal Environmental Law - Directs the Assistant Secretary of DOE who is responsible for environmental protection to make an environmental baseline survey of each site containing a Federal nuclear facility. Requires that such survey be provided to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (the Administrator) and to affected States and Indian tribes.
Directs the Secretary to develop (and revise at least once every five years) a compliance plan and a site management plan for bringing each Federal nuclear facility into timely compliance with State and Federal environmental laws. Directs the Secretary to implement both plans with the concurrence of the affected States and Indian tribes and the Administrator.
Subtitle B: Office of Environmental Management and Remedial Action - Establishes in DOE the Office of Environmental Management and Remedial Action headed by a Director responsible for DOE remedial action and waste technology programs. Requires annual reports to the Congress.
Subtitle C: Notification and Participation of Affected States and Indian Tribes - Requires the Secretary and the Administrator to ensure the participation of affected States and Indian tribes with respect to: (1) bringing Federal nuclear facilities into compliance with Federal environmental law; and (2) transportation corridors affected by nuclear-related activities.
Directs the Secretary to make grants from the Fund to an affected State or Indian tribe to: (1) monitor the compliance of Federal nuclear sites and facilities with Federal environmental and health safety laws; and (2) negotiate agreements and evaluate impacts and risks regarding transportation corridors.
Title III: Research and Development for Environmental Restoration and Management of Federal Nuclear Facilities - Requires the Administrator and the Secretary to enter into a joint agreement to coordinate research and development technologies for Federal nuclear site activities regarding: (1) application of and compliance with Federal environmental requirements; (2) facility decontamination and decommissioning; and (3) hazardous nuclear material characterization, treatment, and stabilization.
Requires the Secretary and Administrator to: (1) submit to the Office of Management and Budget annual Federal nuclear facilities environmental research and development budget requests; (2) fund the jointly established research and development program from the Trust Fund; and (3) jointly establish an information and technologies transfer program for commercial application.
Authorizes the Secretary and the Administrator to enter into contracts and provide research grants.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 101-716.
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