FEDERAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NUCLEAR WASTE POLICY ACT OF 1982. AS AMENDED

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA), as amended, established a national policy for the safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To assure successful implementation of the waste management program, the Congress assigned key responsibilities to several Federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has the primary responsibility for siting, constructing and operating the facilities of the authorized nuclear waste management system, as well as developing an integrated transportation system. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has the primary responsibility for review of the nuclear safety aspects of certain DOE actions and for related facility licensing activities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for developing environmental standards applicable to the management and disposal of spent fuel and high-level waste. In addition, the Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Departments of Interior, Labor, Defense, Justice and Transportation, the General Accounting Office, the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, the National Academy of Sciences, the Office of the Nuclear Waste Negotiator, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have review, oversight or regulatory responsibilities concerning certain actions required to site, license, construct and operate thenuclear waste management system that is under development by the DOE. It could very well be the most scrutinized public program in history.