Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 86.djvu/268

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

[86 STAT. 226]
PUBLIC LAW 92-000—MMMM. DD, 1972
[86 STAT. 226]

226

Radiation exp o s u r e, remedial action.

Federal-State cooperation.

Cooperative arrangement, s u b mittal to c o n g r e s sional committee.

Rules and regulations. 80 Stat. 3 8 3.

PUBLIC LAW 92-314-JUNE 16, 1972

[86

STAT.

TITLE II SEC. 201. The Congress recognizes and assumes the compassionate responsibility of the United States to provide to the State of Colorado financial assistance to undertake remedial action to limit the exposure of individuals to radiation emanating from uranium mill tailings which have been used as a construction related material in the area of Grand Junction, Colorado. SEC. 202. The Atomic Energy Commission is hereby authorized to enter into a cooperative arrangement with the State of Colorado under which the Commission will provide not in excess of 75 per centum of the costs of a State program, in the area of Grand Junction, Colorado, of assessment of, and appropriate remedial action to limit the exposure of individuals to, radiation emanating from uranium mill tailings which have been used as a construction related material. Such arrangement shall include, but need not be limited to, provisions that require: (a) that the basis for undertaking remedial action shall be applicable guidelines published by the Surgeon General of the United States; (b) that the need for and selection of appropriate remedial action to be undertaken in any instance shall be determined by the Commission upon application by the property owner of record to the State of Colorado within four years of the date of enactment of this Act and recommendation by and consultation with the State and others as deemed appropriate; (c) that any remedial action shall be performed by the State of Colorado or its authorized contractor and shall be paid for by the State of Colorado; (d) that the United States shall be released from any mill tailings related liability or claim thereof upon completion of remedial action or waiver thereof by the property owner of record on behalf of himself, his heirs, successors, and assigns; and further, the United States shall be held harmless against any claim arising out of the performance of any remedial action; (e) that the State of Colorado shall retain custody and control of and responsibility for any uranium mill tailings removed from any site as part of remedial action; (f) that the law of the State of Colorado shall be applied to determine all questions of title, rights of heirs, trespass, and so forth; and (g) that the Atomic Energy Commission shall be provided such reports, accounting, and rights of inspection as the Commission deems appropriate: Provided, That before such arrangement or amendment thereto shall become effective, it shall be submitted to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and a period of thirty days shall elapse while Congress is in session (in computing such thirty days, there shall be excluded the days on which either House is not in session because of adjournment for more than three days): Provided, however. That the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, after having received the arrangement or amendment thereto, may by resolution in writing waive the conditions of, or all or any portion of, such thirty-day period. SEC. 203. The Atomic Energy Commission shall prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this title II. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(2) of section 553 of title 5, United States Code, such rules'and regulations shall be subject to the notice and public participation requirements of that section.