2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 38: WATERS AND NAVIGATION › Chapter 14-A: NUCLEAR WASTE ACTIVITY › Subchapter 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS › 38 §1451. Definitions

§1451. Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
1.  Area studies, for high-level radioactive waste.
"Area studies," for high-level radioactive waste, means the study of areas with potentially acceptable sites using available geophysical, geologic, geochemical, hydrologic and other information; and additional geological reconnaissance and field work, including geophysical testing, preliminary borings and excavation as necessary to assess whether site characterization should be undertaken for any sites within the area. Area studies also include socioeconomic and environmental studies and preparation of any environmental assessment relating to the suitability of the site for nomination for site characterization.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
2.  By-product material.
"By-product material" means:
A. Any radioactive material except special nuclear material yielded in or made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incident to the process of producing or utilizing nuclear material; and   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
B. The tailings or waste produced by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from any ore processed primarily for its source material content.   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
3.  Closure or site closure.
"Closure" or "site closure" means all activities performed at a waste disposal site, such as stabilization and contouring, to assure that the site is in a stable condition so that only minor custodial care, surveillance and monitoring are necessary at the site, following termination of licensed operation.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
3-A.  Commission.
[PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. C, §7 (RP).]
4.  Decommissioning a nuclear power plant.
"Decommissioning a nuclear power plant" means the series of activities undertaken, beginning at the time of closing of a nuclear power plant, to ensure that the final disposition of the site or any radioactive components or material, but not including spent fuel, associated with the plant is accomplished safely in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws. Decommissioning includes activities undertaken to prepare a nuclear power plant for final disposition, to monitor and maintain it after closing and to effect final disposition of any radioactive components of the nuclear power plant.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
5.  Environmental impact statement.
"Environmental impact statement" means any document prepared pursuant to or in compliance with the requirements of the United States National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Section 102(2)(c), 83 Stat. 852, 1981.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
6.  High-level radioactive waste.
"High-level radioactive waste" means the highly radioactive material resulting from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, including liquid waste produced directly in reprocessing and any solid material derived from that liquid waste that contains fission products in sufficient concentrations; and other highly radioactive material that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, consistent with existing law, determines by rule to require permanent isolation.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
7.  High-level radioactive waste disposal.
"High-level radioactive waste disposal" means the emplacement in a repository of high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel or other highly radioactive material with no foreseeable intent of recovery, whether or not that emplacement permits the recovery of that waste.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
8.  High-level radioactive waste repository or repository.
"High-level radioactive waste repository" or "repository" means any system licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission that is intended to be used for, or may be used for, the permanent deep geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, whether or not the system is designed to permit the recovery, for a limited period during initial operation, of any materials placed in the system. This term includes both surface and subsurface areas at which high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel handling activities are conducted.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
9.  High-level radioactive waste storage.
"High-level radioactive waste storage" means retention of high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or transuranic waste with the intent to recover that waste or fuel for subsequent use, processing or disposal.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
10.  License.
"License" means a federal or state license, issued to a named person upon application to use, manufacture, produce, transfer, receive, acquire or possess quantities of, or devices or equipment utilizing, radioactive material.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
11.  Low-level radioactive waste.
"Low-level radioactive waste" means radioactive material that is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, transuranic waste or by-product material, as defined in the United States Code, Title 42, Section 2014(e)(2), the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, Section 11(e)(2); and that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, consistent with existing law, classifies as low-level radioactive waste. Low-level radioactive waste also includes any radioactive material that is generated through the production of nuclear power and that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission classified as low-level radioactive waste as of January 1, 1989, but which may be classified as below regulatory concern after that date.
A. "Low-level radioactive waste" does not include radioactive material remaining at the site of a decommissioned nuclear power plant if the following enhanced state standards are met, as determined by the department:
(1) The site has been determined by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission to meet the criteria for release under 10 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20 pursuant to a license termination plan approved by that commission;
(2) The site is not used for the disposal of radioactive material generated by a facility other than the nuclear power plant;
(3) The residual radioactivity distinguishable from background radiation results in a total effective dose equivalent to an average member of the critical group of not more than 10 millirems, or 0.10 millisievert, per year, including that from groundwater sources of drinking water;
(4) The residual radioactivity distinguishable from background radiation in groundwater sources of drinking water results in a total effective dose equivalent of not more than 4 millirems, or 0.04 millisievert, per year to the average member of the critical group; and
(5) Any construction demolition debris, including concrete, disposed of at the site qualifies for unrestricted use within the limits specified in Table 1 in the 1974 United States Atomic Energy Commission Regulatory Guide 1.86. Below-grade, intact structures, including, but not limited to, slabs, walls and foundations, are not considered construction demolition debris for purposes of this subparagraph but are subject to the provisions of subparagraphs (1) to (4).
A nuclear facility owner shall demonstrate compliance with subparagraphs (1) to (4) using actual measurements and the analytic methodology approved by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and supplemented by modeling the effects of engineering controls that have been designed to reduce exposure.
In order to determine compliance with subparagraphs (1) to (4), the department may require appropriate testing and analysis, including, but not limited to, analysis of the effectiveness and integrity of engineering controls.   [PL 1999, c. 741, §1 (NEW).]
B. As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
(1) "Average member of the critical group" means a member of the critical group who is subjected to the most likely exposure situation based on prudently conservative exposure assumptions and parameter values within the model calculations.
(2) "Critical group" means the group of individuals reasonably expected to receive the greatest exposure to residual radioactivity for any applicable set of circumstances.
(3) "Nuclear facility owner" means the owner of a nuclear power plant or decommissioned nuclear power plant in the State.
(4) "Total effective dose equivalent" has the same meaning as in 10 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 20.1003, as in effect on January 1, 2000.   [PL 1999, c. 741, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 1999, c. 741, §1 (AMD).]
12.  Low-level radioactive waste disposal facility.
"Low-level radioactive waste disposal facility" means a facility for the isolation of low-level radioactive waste from the biosphere inhabited by people and their food chains.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
13.  Low-level radioactive waste generator.
"Low-level radioactive waste generator" means a person who produces or processes low-level radioactive waste, whether or not that waste is shipped off site.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
14.  Low-level radioactive waste licensee or low-level waste licensee.
"Low-level radioactive waste licensee" or "low-level waste licensee" means any person licensed by the State or Federal Government to generate, treat, store or dispose of low-level radioactive waste.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
15.  Low-level radioactive waste storage facility.
"Low-level radioactive waste storage facility" means any facility for storage of low-level radioactive waste, except for temporary on-site storage prior to disposal.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
16.  Radioactive material.
"Radioactive material" means any material which emits ionizing radiation spontaneously. It includes accelerator-produced, by-product, naturally occurring, source and special nuclear materials.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
17.  Site characterization, for high-level radioactive waste.
"Site characterization," for high-level radioactive waste, means:
A. Siting research facilities with respect to a test and evaluation facility at a candidate site; and   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
B. Activities, whether in the laboratory or in the field, undertaken to establish the geologic condition and the ranges of the parameters of a candidate site relevant to the location of a repository, including borings, surface excavations, excavations of exploratory shafts, limited subsurface lateral excavations and borings, and in situ testing needed to evaluate the suitability of a candidate site for the location of a repository, but not including preliminary borings and geophysical testing needed to assess whether site characterization should be undertaken.   [PL 1989, c. 502, Pt. B, §52 (AMD).]
[PL 1989, c. 502, Pt. B, §52 (AMD).]
18.  Source material.
"Source material" means:
A. Uranium or thorium, or any combination thereof, in any physical or chemical form; or   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
B. Ores which contain by weight 1/20th of 1%, 0.05% or more of uranium, thorium or any combination thereof. Source material does not include special nuclear material.   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
19.  Source material mill tailings.
"Source material mill tailings" means the tailings or waste produced by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from any ore processed primarily for its source material content, including discrete surface waste resulting from underground solution extraction processes, but not including underground ore bodies depleted by those solution extraction processes.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
20.  Special nuclear material.
"Special nuclear material" means:
A. Plutonium, uranium 233 and uranium enriched in the isotope 233 or in the isotope 235, but does not include source material; or   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
B. Any material artificially enriched by any of the material listed in paragraph A, but does not include source material.   [PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
21.  Spent nuclear fuel.
"Spent nuclear fuel" means fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
22.  Transuranic waste.
"Transuranic waste" means radioactive waste containing alpha-emitting transuranic elements with radioactive half-lives greater than 5 years, in excess of 10 nanocuries per gram.
[PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1983, c. 381, §9 (NEW). PL 1985, c. 309, §5 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 737, §A114 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 461, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 502, §B52 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 664, §13 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 741, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 691, Pt. C, §7 (AMD).