Nuclear Waste Terrorist Threat Assessment and Protection Act

Bill: 108-hr-2926
Sponsor: Rep. Berkley, Shelley [D-NV-1]
Introduced: 2003-07-25 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Air routes
Airspace (Law)
Armed Forces and National Security
Bombings
Computer simulation
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
EBB Terrorism
Economic impact statements
Economics and Public Finance
Electric power production
Emergency Management
Energy
Environmental Protection
Environmental assessment
Evacuation of civilians
Explosives
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government publicity
Guided missiles
Health
Identification of criminals
Infrastructure
International Affairs
Labor and Employment
Larceny
Law
Liability for nuclear damages
Licenses
Nevada
Nuclear terrorism
Nuclear weapons
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public health
Public meetings
Radioactive pollution
Radioactive wastes
Sabotage
Science, Technology, Communications
Storage
Terrorism
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation of hazardous substances
Transportation workers
Water Resources Development
Water supply
Weather

Summary:
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Nuclear Waste Terrorist Threat Assessment and Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to coordinate the development and implementation of an interagency plan to prepare for and defend against terrorist crimes targeting the Yucca Mountain Project (high-level nuclear waste repository being studied at Yucca Mountain, Nevada). 
Requires that the plan: (1) include a comprehensive analysis of the safety and vulnerability of the Project to terrorism; (2) address specified types of attacks; (3) give special emphasis to addressing the use of nuclear waste as a radiological weapon, the use of specified technologies, and sabotage or theft of high-level nuclear waste; and (4) include a comprehensive strategy for defending against terrorism and an analysis of the economic, public health, and environmental costs and impacts of implementing the interagency plan. 
Directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate the development and implementation of a comprehensive interagency plan to ensure that Federal, State, and local government response plans and programs can respond adequately to the consequences of terrorism against the Project. Requires the Secretary and FEMA to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Research Council for technical review of the plans. 
Prohibits the Secretary of Energy from submitting a license application regarding, and prohibits the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from issuing a license for, a Yucca Mountain repository unless: (1) such plans are completed and included in the final environmental impact statement for Yucca Mountain; (2) public hearings have been held for affected populations; (3) the Secretary has certified that the Project is not vulnerable to terrorism; and (4) the Secretary has prepared and transmitted to Congress a report on the potential liability costs and damages resulting from a wide range of Federal terrorism crimes against the Project.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-09-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2003-08-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2003-07-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-07-25
text: Introduced in House