Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-2551
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2008-01-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Air pollution control
Energy
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental assessment
Government Operations and Politics
Hazardous wastes
Law
Licenses
Nevada
Nuclear fuels
Nuclear power plants
Radioactive wastes
Railroad engineering
Railroads
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation of hazardous substances

Summary:
action_date: 2008-01-24
text: 
Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2008 - Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to revise administrative procedures, including those used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the Yucca Mountain site, for applications: (1) for a construction authorization; (2) to amend a construction authorization to receive and possess spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; and (3) to close a repository permanently.

Revises administrative procedures for infrastructure activities conducted by the Secretary of Energy at the Yucca Mountain site.

States that, in any environmental impact statement regarding a repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, the NRC need not consider any action related to construction or operation of a rail transport system for transporting spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste to the repository.

Expresses the nature of the Secretary's obligation to develop a repository in accordance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 for purposes of an NRC determination on whether to grant, amend, or renew any license for a civilian nuclear power reactor or high-level radioactive waste or spent fuel storage or treatment facility. Declares that the Secretary's obligation provides sufficient and independent grounds for any further NRC findings of reasonable assurances that spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste would be disposed of safely and in a timely manner. 

Declares that no consideration of the environmental impact of the storage of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste on the site of the civilian nuclear power reactor or high-level radioactive waste or spent fuel storage or treatment facility for the period following the term of the license shall be required in any environmental analysis prepared in connection with a license to construct or operate the facility.

Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue, administer, and enforce air quality permits or requirements affecting activities subject to this Act.

Applies requirements for expedited authorizations to the conduct of infrastructure activities.

Exempts from certain requirements of the Solid Waste Disposal Act for disposal or management of solid waste or hazardous waste any material that is: (1) transported or stored in NRC-certified containers; or (2) located at the Yucca Mountain site for disposal if it is managed or disposed of in compliance with an NRC license.

 Prescribes requirements for contracts for the acceptance of title, subsequent transportation, and disposal of waste or spent fuel from new civilian nuclear power reactors.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-01-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2008-01-24
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S285-286)
action_date: 2008-01-24
text: Introduced in Senate