An original bill to authorize appropriations to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in accordance with section 261 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and section 305 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974.
PL 98-553 (S.1291), enacted 10/30/1984

PUBLIC LAW 98-553—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2825 
Public Law 98-553 
98th Congress 
A n Act 
To authorize appropriations to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in accordance 
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with section 261 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and section 305 of the Energy 
' 
Reorganization Act of 1974. 
[S- 1291] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
FISCAL YEARS 1984 AND 1985 
SEC. 101. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission in accordance with the provisions 
of section 261 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and section 805 of 
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the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, for the fiscal years 1984 and 
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1985 to remain available until expended, $466,800,000 for fiscal year 
1984 and $460,000,000 for fiscal year 1985. 
SEC. 102. (a) The sums authorized to be appropriated in this Act 
for fiscal years 1984 and 1985 shall be allocated as follows: 
(1) not more than $91,490,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$87,140,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation", of which an amount not to exceed 
$1,000,000 is authorized each such fiscal year to be used to 
accelerate the effort in gas-cooled thermal reactor preapplica-
tion review; 
(2) not more than $70,910,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$74,770,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Inspection and 
Enforcement"; 
(3) not more than $36,280,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$35,710,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards"; 
(4) not more than $199,740,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$193,290,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Nuclear 
Regulatory Research", of which an amount not to exceed 
$2,600,000 is authorized each such fiscal year to be used to 
accelerate the effort in gas-cooled thermal reactor safety 
(5) not more than $27,520,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$27,470,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Program 
Technical Support"; 
(6) not more than $40,860,000 for fiscal year 1984 and 
$41,620,000 for fiscal year 1985, may be used for "Program 
Direction and Administration". 
(b) The Nuclear Regulatory Commission may use not more than 1 
Grants. 
per centum of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
paragraph 102(a)(4) to exercise its authority under section 31 a. of the 
Atomic Energy of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2051(a)) to enter into grants and 
cooperative agreements with universities pursuant to such para-
graph. Grants made by the Commission shall be made in accordance 
98 STAT. 2826 
PUBLIC LAW 98-553—OCT. 30, 1984 
with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 
(41 U.S.C. 501 et seq.) and other applicable law. 
(c) Any amount appropriated for a fiscal year to the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission pursuant to any paragraph of subsection 
102(a) for purposes of the program referred to in such paragraph, 
may be reallocated by the Commission for use in a program referred 
to in any other paragraph of such subsection, or for use in any other 
activity within a program, except that the amount available from 
appropriations for such fiscal year for use in any program or 
specified activity may not, as a result of reallocations made under 
this subsection, be increased or reduced by more than $500,000 
unless— 
(1) a period of thirty calendar days (excluding any day in 
which either House of Congress is not in session because of an 
adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain 
or an adjournment sine die) passes after the receipt, by the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on 
Interior and Insular Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
Senate, of notice submitted by the Commission containing a full 
and complete statement of the reallocation proposed to be made 
and the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of such 
proposed reallocation; or 
(2) each such committee, before the expiration of such period, 
transmits to the Commission a written notification that such 
committee does not object to such proposed reallocation. 
SEC. 103. Moneys received by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
for the cooperative nuclear research program and the material 
access authorization program may be retained and used for salaries 
and expenses associated with such programs, notwithstanding the 
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provisions of section 3617 of the Revised Statutes (31 U.S.C. 484), and 
shall remain available until expended. 
SEC. 104. From amounts appropriated to the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission pursuant to this title, the Commission may transfer to 
other agencies of the Federal Government sums for salaries and 
expenses for the performance by such agencies of activities for 
which such appropriations of the Commission are made. Any sums 
so transferred may be merged with the appropriation of the agency 
to which such sums are transferred. 
SEC. 105. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, no 
authority to make payments under this Act shall be effective except 
to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in advance in 
appropriation Acts. 
Report. 
SEC. 106. (a) No funds authorized to be appropriated under this 
Prohibition. 
Act may be used to carry out any policy or program for the 
decentralization or regionalization of any Nuclear Regulatory Com-
mission authorities regarding commercial nuclear powerplant li-
censing until sixty legislative days after the date on which the 
Commission submits to the Congress a report evaluating the effect 
of such policy or program on nuclear reactor safety: Provided, 
however, That the prohibition contained in this subsection shall not 
apply to any personnel assigned to the field, or to activities in which 
they were engaged, on or before September 22, 1983. The report 
shall include— 
(1) a detailed description of the authorities to be transferred, 
the reason for such transfer, and an assessment of the effect of 
such transfer on nuclear reactor safety; 
PUBLIC LAW 98-553—OCT. 30, 1984 
98 STAT. 2827 
(2) an analysis of all comments submitted to the Commission 
regarding the effect on nuclear reactor safety which would 
result from carrying out the policy or program proposed by the 
Commission; and 
(3) an evaluation of the results, including the advantages 
and disadvantages, of the pilot program conducted under sub-
section (b). 
(b) Notwithstanding the prohibition contained in subsection (a), 
the Commission is authorized to conduct a pilot program for the 
purpose of evaluating the concept of delegating authority to regional 
offices for issuance of specific types of operating reactor licensing 
actions and for the purpose of addressing the issues identified in 
paragraphs (a)(l)-(3) of this section. 
SEC. 107. (a) Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
this Act for the fiscal years 1984 and 1985, such sums as may be 
necessary are authorized to be used by the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission for— 
(1) the acquisition (by purchase, lease, or otherwise) and 
installation of equipment to be used for the small test prototype 
nuclear data link program or for any other program for the 
collection and transmission to the Commission of data from 
licensed nuclear reactors during abnormal conditions at such 
reactors; and 
(2) a full and complete analysis of— 
(A) the appropriate role of the Commission during abnor-
mal conditions at a nuclear reactor licensed by the 
Commission; 
(B) the information which should be available to the 
Commission to enable the Commission to fulfill such role 
and to carry out other related functions; 
(C) various alternative means of assuring that such infor-
mation is available to the Commission in a timely manner; 
and 
(D) any changes in existing Commission authority neces-
sary to enhance the Commission response to abnormal 
conditions at a nuclear reactor licensed by the Commission: 
Provided, however, That no funds shall be available under this Act 
for the acquisition and installation of any equipment for the collec-
tion and transmission to the Commission of data from licensed 
nuclear reactors during abnormal conditions at such reactors, or for 
the analysis of such equipment, unless such acquisition and analysis 
includes, as one of the alternatives considered, a fully automated 
electronic nuclear data link. The small test prototype referred to in 
paragraph (1) may be used by the Commission in carrying out the 
study and analysis under paragraph (2). Such analysis shall include 
a cost-benefit analysis of each alternative examined under subpara-
graph (C). 
SEC. 108. Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under this 
Act, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may use such sums as may 
be necessary, in the absence of a State or local emergency prepared-
ness plan which has been approved by the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, to issue an operating license (including a 
temporary operating license under section 192 of the Atomic Energy 
Act of 1954, as amended) for a nuclear power reactor, if it deter- 
42 USC 2242. 
mines that there exists a State, local, or utility plan which provides 
reasonable assurance that public health and safety is not endan-
gered by operation of the facility concerned. 
98 STAT. 2828 
PUBLIC LAW 98-553—OCT. 30, 1984 
SEC. 109. Notwithstanding the second sentence of section 103 d. 
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and the second sentence of section 104 d. of the Atomic Energy Act 
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of 1954, as amended, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is hereby 
authorized to transfer Facility Operating License numbered R-81 to 
a United States entity or corporation owned or controlled by a 
foreign corporation if the Commission— 
(1) finds that such transfer would not be inimical to the 
common defense and security or to the health and safety of the 
public; and 
(2) includes in such license, as transferred, such conditions as 
the Commission deems necessary to ensure that such foreign 
corporation cannot direct the actions of the licensee in ways 
that would be inimical to the common defense and security or 
the health and safety of the public. 
Approved October 30, 1984. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1291 (S. 2846) (H.R. 2510): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 98-103, Pt. 1 (eomm. on Interior and Insular Affairs) and Pt. 2 
(eomm. on Energy and eommerce) both accompanying H.R. 2510. 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 98-118 (eomm. on Environment and Public Works). 
No. 98-546 (Comm. on Environment and Public Works); No. 
98-579 (eomm. on Energy and Natural Resources) both 
accompanying S. 2846. 
CONGRESSIONAL REOORD, Vol. 130 (1984): 
Oct. 10, considered and passed Senate. 
tJct 1
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WEEKLY eOMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 20, No. 44 (1984): 
Oct. 30, Presidential statement.