96 STAT. 2242
Consultations.
Environmental assessment.
PUBLIC LAW 97-425—JAN. 7, 1983
regardless of any construction of a monitored retrievable storage facility pursuant to this section. (b) SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL BY SECRETARY.—(1) On or before June 1, 1985, the Secretary shall complete a detailed study of the need for and feasibility of, and shall submit to the Congress a proposal for, the construction of one or more monitored retrievable storage facilities for high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Each such facility shall be designed— (A) to accommodate spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste resulting from civilian nuclear activities; (B) to permit continuous monitoring, management, and maintenance of such spent fuel and waste for the foreseeable future; (C) to provide for the ready retrieval of such spent fuel and waste for further processing or disposal; and (D) to safely store such spent fuel and waste as long as may be necessary by maintaining such facility through appropriate means, including any required replacement of such facility. (2) Such proposal shall include— (A) the establishment of a Federal program for the siting, development, construction, and operation of facilities capable of safely storing high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, which facilities are to be licensed by the Commission; (B) a plan for the funding of the construction and operation of such facilities, which plan shall provide that the costs of such activities shall be borne by the generators and owners of the high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel to be stored in such facilities; (C) site-specific designs, specifications, and cost estimates sufficient to (i) solicit bids for the construction of the first such facility; (ii) support congressional authorization of the construction of such facility; and (iii) enable completion and operation of such facility as soon as practicable following congressional authorization of such facility; and (D) a plan for integrating facilities constructed pursuant to this section with other storage and disposal facilities authorized in this Act. (3) In formulating such proposal, the Secretary shall consult with the Commission and the Administrator, and shall submit their comments on such proposal to the Congress at the time such proposal is submitted. (4) The proposal shall include, for the first such facility, at least 3 alternative sites and at least 5 alternative combinations of such proposed sites and facility designs consistent with the criteria of paragraph (b)(1). The Secretary shall recommend the combination among the alternatives that the Secretary deems preferable. The environmental assessment under subsection (c) shall include a full analysis of the relative advantages and disadvantages of all 5 such alternative combinations of proposed sites and proposed facility designs. (c) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.—(1) Preparation and submission to the Congress of the proposal required in this section shall not require the preparation of an environmental impact statement under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)). The Secretary shall prepare, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary implementing such Act, an environmental assessment with respect to such proposal. Such environmental assessment shall be based upon available
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