II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3225 

To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to prohibit the importation of 

certain low-level radioactive waste into the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 7, 2008 

Mr. ALEXANDER (for himself and Mr. CARDIN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 

Public Works 

A BILL 

To amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to prohibit the 

importation of certain low-level radioactive waste into 

the United States. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF LOW-LEVEL 

4 RADIOACTIVE WASTE. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 8 of the Atomic Energy 

6 Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2111 et seq.) is amended by add7 ing at the end the following: 


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•S 3225 IS

1 ‘‘SEC. 85. IMPORTATION OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE 

2 WASTE. 

3 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

4 (b) or (c), the Commission shall not issue a license author5 izing the importation into the United States of— 

6 ‘‘(1) low-level radioactive waste (as defined in 

7 section 2 of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy 

8 Act (42 U.S.C. 2021b)); or 

9 ‘‘(2) specific radioactive waste streams exempt10 ed from regulation by the Commission under section 

11 10 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 2021j). 

12 ‘‘(b) NONAPPLICATION.—Subsection (a) shall not 

13 apply to— 

14 ‘‘(1) low-level radioactive waste being returned 

15 to a United States Government or military facility 

16 that is authorized to possess the material; or 

17 ‘‘(2) low-level radioactive waste resulting from 

18 the use in a foreign country of nuclear material ob19 tained by the foreign user from an entity in the 

20 United States that is being returned to the United 

21 States for management and disposal. 

22 ‘‘(c) WAIVERS.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may waive 

24 the prohibition under this section and authorize the 

25 grant of a specific license to import materials pro26 hibited under subsection (a) under the rules of the 


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1 Commission, only after a finding that the importa2 tion would meet an important national or inter3 national policy goal, such as the use of waste for re4 search purposes. 

5 ‘‘(2) SPECIFICATIONS.—A waiver under para6 graph (1) shall specify— 

7 ‘‘(A) the policy goal to be achieved; 

8 ‘‘(B) how the policy goal is to be achieved; 

9 and 

10 ‘‘(C) the quantity of material to be im11 ported. 

12 ‘‘(d) CURRENT LICENSES.—A license not permitted 

13 under this section that was issued before the date of enact14 ment of this section may continue in effect according to 

15 the terms of the license, but may not be extended or 

16 amended with respect to the quantity of material per17 mitted to be imported.’’. 

18 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS AMENDMENT.—The table 

19 of contents for the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended 

20 by inserting at the end of the items relating to chapter 

21 8 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 85. Importation of low-level radioactive waste.’’. 

Æ 


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