I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1700 
To require the President to issue guidance on Federal response to a large- 
scale nuclear disaster. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 24, 2013 
Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mrs. LOWEY, and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To require the President to issue guidance on Federal 
response to a large-scale nuclear disaster. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nuclear Disaster Pre-
paredness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GUIDANCE FOR RESPONSE TO A NUCLEAR DIS-
ASTER. 
(a) ISSUANCE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the President, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of De-
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fense, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall issue guid-
ance on Federal response to nuclear disasters described 
in subsection (b). 
(b) NUCLEAR DISASTERS DESCRIBED.—The guid-
ance issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall be with re-
spect to any nuclear disaster that— 
(1) may be caused by a natural catastrophe, an 
accident, or a terrorist or other attack; 
(2) occurs initially at a nuclear power plant; 
and 
(3) disperses radiation off the reactor site and 
into the surrounding area. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—The guidance issued pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall— 
(1) designate the single Federal agency that is 
responsible for coordinating the Federal Govern-
ment’s efforts in response to a nuclear disaster (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Coordinating Agency’’), 
including making a formal declaration that a nuclear 
disaster exists; 
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(2) identify the circumstances under which a 
formal declaration described in paragraph (1) will 
occur; 
(3) designate the single Federal agency that, in 
response to a nuclear disaster, is responsible for rec-
ommending to the Coordinating Agency— 
(A) the evacuation of the area within a 10- 
mile radius from the nuclear power plant; or 
(B) the evacuation of the area within a 
larger radius from the nuclear power plant, but 
not more than a radius of 50 miles; 
(4) identify the circumstances under which a 
recommendation described in paragraph (3) will be 
made; 
(5) designate the single Federal agency that is 
responsible for developing plans for an evacuation 
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph 
(3), educating the public regarding such an evacu-
ation, and conducting such an evacuation when di-
rected to do so by the Coordinating Agency; 
(6) designate the single Federal agency that is 
responsible for recommending to the Coordinating 
Agency that evacuees may return following a nuclear 
disaster; 
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(7) identify the circumstances under which a 
recommendation described in paragraph (6) will be 
made; 
(8) identify what cleanup standards will apply 
for a nuclear disaster; 
(9) designate the single Federal agency that is 
responsible for conducting cleanup of a nuclear dis-
aster when directed to do so by the Coordinating 
Agency; and 
(10) identify any other roles and responsibilities 
of any Federal agency involved in the response effort 
to a nuclear disaster. 
Æ 
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