2023 Maryland Statutes › Environment › Title 7 - Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Substances › Subtitle 3 - Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact › Section 7-302 - Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission Established; Powers and Duties

Article II. The Commission
a.    1.    There is hereby created the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission. The Commission is hereby created as a body corporate and politic, with succession for the duration of this compact, as an agency and instrumentality of the governments of the respective signatory parties, but separate and distinct from the respective signatory party states. The Commission shall have central offices located in Pennsylvania.
2.    The Commission shall consist of two voting members from each party state to be appointed according to the laws of each party state, and two additional voting members from each host state to be appointed according to the laws of each host state. Upon selection of the site of the regional facility, an additional voting member shall be appointed to the Commission who shall be a resident of the county or municipality where the facility is to be located. The appointing authority of each party state shall notify the Commission in writing of the identities of the members and of any alternates. An alternate may vote and act in the member’s absence. No member shall have a financial interest in any industry which generates low-level radioactive waste, any low-level radioactive waste regional facility or any related industry for the duration of the member’s term. No more than one-half the members and alternates from any party state shall have been employed by or be employed by a low-level waste generator or related industry upon appointment to or during their tenure of office; provided, that no member shall have been employed by or be employed by a regional facility or operator. No member or alternate from any party state shall accept employment from any regional facility operator or brokers for at least three years after leaving office.
3.    Members of the Commission and alternates shall serve without compensation from the Commission but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in and incident to the performance of their duties.
4.    Each Commission member is entitled to one vote. Unless otherwise provided in this compact, affirmative votes by a majority of a host state’s members are necessary for the Commission to take any action related to the regional facility and the disposal and management of low-level waste within that host state.
5.    (a)    The Commission shall provide for its own organization and procedures, and shall adopt by-laws not inconsistent with this compact and any rules and regulations necessary to implement this compact. It shall meet at least once a year in the county selected to host a regional facility and shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its members. In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman shall serve.
(b)    All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public with at least 14 days advance notice, except that the chairman may convene an emergency meeting with less advance notice. Each municipality and county selected to host a regional facility shall be specifically notified in advance of all Commission meetings. All meetings of the Commission shall be conducted in a manner that substantially conforms to the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. Ch. 5, Subch. II, and Ch. 7). The Commission may, by a two-thirds vote, including approval of a majority of each host state’s Commission members, hold an executive session closed to the public for the purpose of: Considering or discussing legally privileged or proprietary information; to consider dismissal, disciplining of, or hearing complaints or charges brought against an employee or other public agent unless such person requests such public hearing; or to consult with its attorney regarding information or strategy in connection with specific litigation. The reason for the executive session must be announced at least 14 days prior to the executive session, except that the chairman may convene an emergency meeting with less advance notice, in which case the reason for the executive session must be announced at the open meeting immediately subsequent to the executive session. All action taken in violation of this open meeting provision shall be null and void.
(c)    Detailed written minutes shall be kept of all meetings of the Commission. All decisions, files, records and data of the Commission, except for information privileged against introduction in judicial proceedings, personnel records and minutes of a properly convened executive session, shall be open to public inspection subject to a procedure that substantially conforms to the Freedom of Information Act (Public Law 89-554, 5 U.S.C. § 552) and applicable Pennsylvania law, and may be copied upon request and payment of fees which shall be no higher than necessary to recover copying costs.
(d)    The Commission shall select an appropriate staff, including an Executive Director, to carry out the duties and functions assigned by the Commission. Notwithstanding any other provision of law the Commission may hire and/or retain its own legal counsel.
(e)    Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the Commission which adversely affects the legal rights, duties or privileges of such person, may petition a court of competent jurisdiction, within 60 days after the Commission’s final decision, to obtain judicial review of said final decisions.
(f)    Liabilities of the Commission shall not be deemed liabilities of the party states. Members of the Commission shall not be personally liable for actions taken in their official capacity.
b.    The Commission:
(a)    Shall conduct research and establish regulations to promote a reasonable reduction of volume and curie content of low-level wastes generated in the region. The regulations shall be reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the Commission at least annually.
(b)    Shall ensure, to the extent authorized by federal law, that low-level wastes are safely disposed of within the region except that the Commission shall have no power or authority to license, regulate or otherwise develop a regional facility, such powers and authority being reserved for the host state(s) as permitted under the law.
(c)    Shall designate as “host states” any party state which generates 25 percent or more of Pennsylvania’s volume or total curie content of low-level waste generated based on a comparison of averages over three successive years, as determined by the Commission. This determination shall be based on volume or total curie content, whichever is greater.
(d)    Shall ensure, to the extent authorized by federal law, that low-level waste packages brought into the regional facility for disposal conform to applicable state and federal regulations. Low-level waste brokers or generators who violate these regulations will be subject to a fine or other penalty imposed by the Commission, including restricted access to a regional facility. The Commission may impose such fines and/or penalties in addition to any other penalty levied by the party states pursuant to Article IV d.
(e)    Shall establish such advisory committees as it deems necessary for the purpose of advising the Commission on matters pertaining to the management and disposal of low-level waste.
(f)    May contract to accomplish its duties and effectuate its powers subject to projected available resources. No contract made by the Commission shall bind a party state.
(g)    Shall prepare contingency plans for management and disposal of low-level waste in the event any regional facility should be closed or otherwise unavailable.
(h)    Shall examine all records of operators of regional facilities pertaining to operating costs, profits or the assessment or collection of any charge, fee or surcharge, and may make recommendations to the host state(s) which shall review the recommendations in accordance with its (their) own sovereign laws.
(i)    Shall have the power to sue and be sued subject to Article II a 5 (e), and may seek to intervene in any administrative or judicial proceeding.
(j)    Shall assemble and make available to the party states and to the public, information concerning low-level waste management and disposal needs, technologies and problems.
(k)    Shall keep current and annual inventories of all generators by name and quantity of low-level waste generated within the region, based upon information provided by the party states. Inventory information shall include both volume in cubic feet and total curie content of the low-level waste and all available information on chemical composition and toxicity of such wastes.
(l)    Shall keep an inventory of all regional facilities and specialized facilities including, but not necessarily restricted to, information on their size, capacity, and location, as well as specific wastes capable of being managed, and the projected useful life of each regional facility.
(m)    Shall make and publish an annual report to the governors of the signatory party states and to the public detailing its programs, operations and finances, including copies of the annual budget and the independent audit required by this compact.
(n)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this compact to the contrary, may, with the unanimous approval of the Commission members of the host state(s), enter into temporary agreements with non-party states or other regional boards for the emergency disposal of low-level waste at the regional facility, if so authorized by law(s) of the host state(s), or other disposal facilities located in states that are not parties to this agreement.
(o)    Shall promulgate regulations, pursuant to host state law, to specifically govern and define exactly what would constitute an emergency situation and exactly what restrictions and limitations would be placed on temporary agreements.
(p)    Shall not accept any donations, grants, equipment, supplies, materials or services, conditional or otherwise, from any source, except from any federal agency and from party states which are certified as being legal and proper under the laws of the donating party state.
c.    1.    The Commission shall establish a fiscal year which conforms to the fiscal year of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
2.    Upon legislative enactment of this compact by two party states and each year until the regional facility becomes available, the Commission shall adopt a current expense budget for its fiscal year. The budget shall include the Commission’s estimated expenses for administration. Such expenses shall be allocated to the party states according to the following formula:
Each designated initial host state will be allocated costs equal to twice the costs of the other party states, but such costs will not exceed $200,000.
Each remaining party state will be allocated a cost of one half the cost of the initial host state, but such costs will not exceed $100,000.
The party states will include the amounts allocated above in their respective budgets, subject to such review and approval as may be required by their respective budgetary processes. Such amounts shall be due and payable to the Commission in quarterly installments during the fiscal year.
3.    For continued funding of its activities, the Commission shall submit an annual budget request to each party state for funding, based upon the percentage of the region’s waste generated in each state in the region, as reported in the latest available annual inventory required under Article II b (k). The percentage of waste shall be based on volume of waste or total curie content as determined by the Commission.
4.    The Commission shall prepare and include in the annual report a budget showing anticipated receipts and disbursements for the ensuing year.
5.    (a)    As soon as practicable after the closing of the fiscal year, an audit shall be made of the financial accounts of the Commission. The audit shall be made by qualified certified public accountants selected by the Commission, who have no personal direct or indirect interest in the financial affairs of the Commission or any of its officers or employees. The report of audit shall be prepared in accordance with accepted accounting practices and shall be filed with the chairman and such other officers as the Commission shall direct. Copies of the report shall be distributed to each Commission member and shall be made available for public distribution.
(b)    Each signatory party by its duly authorized officers shall be entitled to examine and audit at any time all of the books, documents, records, files, and accounts and all other papers, things, or property of the Commission. The representatives of the signatory parties shall have access to all books, documents, records, accounts, reports, files and all other papers, things, or property belonging to or in use by the Commission and necessary to facilitate the audit; and, they shall be afforded full facilities for verifying transactions with the balances or securities held by depositaries, fiscal agents, and custodians.