PUBLIC LAW 99-240—JAN. 15, 1986
99 STAT. 1881
managing such waste. The party states acknowledge that Congress declared that each state is responsible for providing for the availability of capacity either within or outside the state for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders, except for waste generated as a result of certain defense activities of the federal government or federal research and development activities. The party states also recognize that the management of low-level radioactive waste is handled most efficiently on a regional basis; and, that the safe and efficient management of low-level radioactive waste generated within the region requires that sufficient capacity to manage such waste be properly provided. "a) It is the policy of the party states to enter into a regional lowlevel radioactive wsiste management compact for the purpose of: "D providing the instrument and the framework for a cooperative effort; "2) providing sufficient facilities for the proper management of low-level radioactive waste generated in the region; "3) protecting the health and safety of the citizens of the Health, region; Safety. "4) limiting the number of facilities required to manage lowlevel radioactive waste generated in the region effectively and efficiency; "5) promoting the volume and source reduction of low-level radioactive waste generated in the region; "6) distributing the costs, benefits and obligations of successful low-level radioactive waste mancigement equitably among the party states and among generators and other persons who use regional facilities to manage their waste; "7) ensuring the ecological and economical maneigement of low-level radioactive waste, including the prohibition of shallow-land burial of waste; and "8) promoting the use of above-ground facilities and other disposal technologies providing greater and safer confinement of low-level radioactive waste than shallow-land burial facilities, "b) Implicit in the Congressional consent to this compact is the Regulations. expectation by the Congress and the party states that the appropriate federal agencies will actively Eissist the Compact Commission and the individual party states to this compact by: "D expeditious enforcement of federal rules, regulations and laws; "2) imposition of sanctions against those found to be in violation of federal rules, regulations and laws; and "3) timely inspection of their licensees to determine their compliance with these rules, regulations and laws. "ARTICLE II. DEFINITIONS "As used in this compact, unless the context clearly requires a different construction: "a) 'Commission' means the Central Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission. "b) 'Decommissioning' means the measures taken at the end of a facility's operating life to assure the continued protection of the public from any residual radioactivity or other potential hazards present at a facility. "c) 'Disposal' means the isolation of waste from the biosphere in a permanent facility designed for that purpose.
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