§ 7125.1. Agreement
Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes and Consolidated StatutesTitle 35 P.S. Health and Safety
35 P.S. § 7125.1
§ 7125.1. Agreement
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby solemnly covenants and agrees with the state of West Virginia, any eligible states as defined in Article 5(A) of this compact and the United States of America, upon the enactment of concurrent legislation by the Congress of the United States and by the respective state legislatures, as follows:
APPALACHIAN STATES LOW-LEVEL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMPACT
Preamble
Whereas, The United States Congress, by enacting the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 2021b-2021d) has encouraged the use of interstate compacts to provide for the establishment and operation of facilities for regional management of low-level radioactive waste;
Whereas, Under section 4(a)(1)(A) of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (42 U.S.C. § 2021d(a)(1)(A)), each state is responsible for providing for the capacity for disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders;
Whereas, To promote the health, safety and welfare of residents within, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and other eligible states as defined in Article 5(A) of this compact shall enter into a compact for the regional management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste.
Now, therefore, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of West Virginia and other eligible states hereby agree to enter into the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact.
Article 1
Definitions
As used in this compact, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(h) “Hazardous life” means the time required for radioactive materials to decay to safe levels, as defined by the time period for the concentration of radioactive materials within a given container or package to decay to maximum permissible concentrations as defined by Federal law or by standards to be set by a host state, whichever is more restrictive.
(1) is neither high-level waste or transuranic waste, nor spent nuclear fuel, nor by-product material as defined in Section 11(e)(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as amended;1 and
(2) is classified by the Federal Government as low-level waste, consistent with existing law; but does not include waste generated as a result of atomic energy defense activities of the Federal Government, as defined in Public Law 96-573,2 or Federal research and development activities.
Article 2
The Commission
(1) Creation--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) Commission Membership--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 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.
(4) Voting Power--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.
(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.
The Commission:
(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 4(D).
(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.
(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.
(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 nonparty 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.
(2) Current Expense Budget--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) Annual Budget Request--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 2(B)(k). The percentage of waste shall be based on volume of waste or total curie content as determined by the Commission.
(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.
Article 3
Rights, Responsibilities and Obligations of Party States
There shall be regional facilities sufficient to dispose of the low-level waste generated within the region. Each regional facility shall be capable of disposing of such low-level waste but in the form(s) required by regulations or license conditions. Specialized facilities for particular types of low-level waste management, reduction or treatment may not be developed in any party state unless they are in accordance with the laws and regulations of such state and applicable Federal laws and regulations.
Each party state shall have equal access as other party states to regional facilities located within the region and accepting low-level waste, provided, however, that the host state may close the regional facility located within its borders when necessary for public health and safety. However, a host state shall send notification to the Commission in writing within three (3) days of its action and shall, within thirty (30) working days, provide in writing the reasons for the closing.
Pennsylvania and party states which generated 25 percent or more of the volume or curies of low-level waste generated by Pennsylvania, based on a comparison of averages over the three years 1982 through 1984, are designated as “initial host states” and are required to develop and host low-level waste sites as regional facilities. The percentage of waste from each state shall be determined by cubic foot volume or total curie content, whichever is greater.
Party states which generated less than 25 percent of the volume or curies of low-level waste generated by Pennsylvania, based on a comparison of averages over the years 1982 through 1984, shall be exempt from initial host state responsibilities. These states shall continue to be exempt as long as they generate less than the 25 percent threshold over successive 3-year periods. Once a state generates an average of 25 percent or more of the volume or curies generated by Pennsylvania over a successive 3-year period, it shall be designated as a “host state” for a 30-year period by the Commission and shall immediately initiate development of a regional facility to be operational within five years. Such host state shall be prepared to accept at its regional facility low-level waste at least equal to that generated in the state. With Commission approval, any party state may volunteer to host a regional facility. The percentage of waste from each state shall be determined by either a cubic foot volume or total curie content, whichever is greater.
Pennsylvania and other host states are obligated to develop regional facilities for the duration of this compact. All regional facilities shall be designed for at least a 30-year useful life. At the end of the facility's life, normal closure and maintenance procedures shall be initiated in accordance with the applicable requirements of the host state and the Federal Government. Each host state's obligation for operating regional facilities shall remain as long as the state continues to produce over a 3-year period 25 percent or more of the volume or curies of low-level waste generated by Pennsylvania.
Each host state shall:
(b) Ensure by law, consistent with applicable state and Federal law, the protection and preservation of public health, safety and environmental quality in the siting, design, development, licensure or other regulation, operation, closure, decommissioning, long-term care and the institutional control period of the regional facility within the state. To the extent authorized by Federal law, a host state may adopt more stringent laws, rules or regulations than required by Federal law.
(c) Ensure and maintain a manifest system which documents all waste-related activities of generators, brokers, carriers and related activities of generators, brokers, carriers and operators, and establish the chain of custody of waste from its initial generation to the end of its hazardous life. Copies of all such manifests shall be submitted to the Commission on a timely basis.
Each party state:
(b) To the extent authorized by Federal law, shall develop and enforce procedures requiring low-level waste shipments originating within its borders and destined for a regional facility to conform to volume reduction, packaging and transportation requirements and regulations as well as any other requirements specified by the regional facility. Such procedures shall include, but are not limited to:
(c) To the extent authorized by Federal law, shall, after receiving notification from a host state or other person that a person in a party state has violated volume reduction, packaging, shipping or transportation requirements or regulations, take appropriate action to ensure that violations do not recur. Appropriate action shall include, but is not limited to, the requirement that a bond be posted by the violator to pay the cost of repackaging at the regional facility and the requirement that future shipments be inspected. Appropriate action may also include suspension of the violator's use of the regional facility. Should such suspension be imposed, the suspension shall remain in effect until such time as the violator has, to the satisfaction of the party state imposing such suspension, complied with the appropriate requirements or regulations upon which the suspension was based and has taken appropriate action to ensure that such violation or violations do not recur.
In the event of liability arising from the operation of any regional facility and during and after closure of that facility, each party state shall share in that liability in an amount equal to that state's share of the region's low-level waste disposed of at the facility. If such liability arises from negligence, malfeasance or neglect on the part of a host state or any party state, then any other host or party state(s) may make any claim allowable under law for that negligence, malfeasance or neglect. If such liability arises from a particular waste shipment or shipments to, or quantity of waste or condition at, the regional facility, then any host or party state may make any claim allowable under law for such liability. The percentage of waste shall be based on volume of waste or total curie content.
A party state which fails to fulfill its obligations, including timely funding of the Commission, may have its privileges under the Compact suspended or its membership in the Compact revoked by the Commission and be subject to any other legal and equitable remedies available to the party states.
Article 4
Prohibited Acts and Penalties
It shall be unlawful for any person to dispose of low-level waste within the region except at a regional facility unless authorized by the Commission.
After establishment of the regional facility(s), it shall be unlawful for any person to dispose of any low-level waste within the region unless the waste was generated within the region or unless authorized to do so both by the Commission and by law of the host state in which said disposal takes place. For the purposes of this compact, waste generated within the region excludes radioactive material shipped from outside the party states to a waste management facility within the region. In determining whether to grant such authorization, the factors to be considered by the Commission shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
Any and all low-level waste generated within the region shall be disposed of at a regional facility, except for specific cases agreed upon by the Commission, with the affirmative votes by a majority of the Commission members of the host state(s) affected by the decision.
Generators, brokers and carriers of wastes, and owners and operators of sites shall be liable for their acts, omissions, conduct or relationships in accordance with all laws relating thereto. The party states shall impose a fine for any violation in an amount equal to the present and future costs associated with correcting any harm caused by the violation and shall assess punitive fines or penalties if it is deemed necessary. In addition, the host state shall bar any person who violates host state or Federal regulations from using the regional facility until that person demonstrates to the satisfaction of the host state the ability and willingness to comply with the law.
(4) Criminal and Civil Sanctions--Officers and employees of the Commission shall be subject, in addition to the provisions of this section, to such criminal and civil sanctions for misconduct in office as may be imposed by Federal law and the law of the signatory state in which such misconduct occurs.
Article 5
Eligibility, Entry into Effect, Congressional Consent, Withdrawal
Only the States of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and Maryland are eligible to become parties to this compact.
An eligible state may become a party state by legislative enactment of this compact or by executive order of the governor adopting this compact; provided, however, a state becoming a party state by executive order shall cease to be a party state upon adjournment of the first general session of its legislature convened thereafter, unless the legislature shall have enacted this compact before such adjournment.
This compact shall take effect when it has been enacted by the legislatures of Pennsylvania and one or more eligible states. However, Article 4(B) and (C) shall not take effect until Congress has consented to this compact. Every fifth year after such consent has been given, Congress may withdraw consent.
A party state may withdraw from the compact by repealing the enactment of this compact, but no such withdrawal shall become effective until two years after enactment of the repealing legislation. If the withdrawing state is a host state, any regional facility in that state shall remain available to receive low-level waste generated within the region until five years after the effective date of the withdrawal.
Article 6
Construction and Severability
The provisions of this compact shall be broadly construed to carry out the purposes of the compact, but the sovereign powers of a party state shall not unnecessarily be infringed.
Credits
1985, Dec. 22, P.L. 539, No. 120, § 1, imd. effective.
35 P.S. § 7125.1, PA ST 35 P.S. § 7125.1
Current through 2023 Regular Session Act 32. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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