Comprehensive Cleanup of Uranium Mines

HR 3713 IH: Comprehensive Cleanup of Abandoned Uranium Mines Act

Direct Link: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-119hr3713ih

Section 101. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Comprehensive Cleanup of Abandoned Uranium Mines Act”.

Section 102. Findings and purpose

(a) Congress finds that—

the United States has a significant amount of abandoned uranium mines; and
cleanup actions at these mines pose a risk to human health and the environment.

Section 103. Definitions

(a) In this Act:

(1) The term “covered mine site” means any site where uranium mining or milling has occurred; and
(2) the term “potentially responsible party” means any party that may be liable for cleanup costs under section 105.

Section 104. List of covered mine sites

(a) Annually, the Administrator shall identify covered mine sites that are prioritized for cleanup actions,

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(i)
The list shall include all sites identified under section 105(a)(8)(B); and
The Administrator shall review and update the list annually.

Section 106. Tribal consultation

(a) The Administrator, in cooperation with relevant Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of the Interior,

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The Administrator shall develop a 10-year interagency plan for coordinating cleanup actions at Navajo Nation abandoned uranium mine sites;
Not later than 90 days after development of the plan, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing the plan.

Section 105. Cleanup responsibilities

(a) The Administrator shall carry out, at a minimum:

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(i)
The Administrator shall identify covered mine sites that are prioritized for cleanup actions;
Not later than 90 days after development of the interagency plan under section 106, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing the applicable plan;

Savings Provisions

(a) Nothing in this section provides the Administrator with new regulatory authority not already established in law.

(b) This Act is intended to be applied solely for cleanup actions at covered mine sites, and shall not be interpreted as establishing a default standard or authority to be used for cleanup actions at such sites.