Developing a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Security of Radioactive Materials Transportation in the United States - Presentation

In the United States, three federal agencies have statutory authority to ensure the security of radioactive materials in transport. These agencies are the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Given that three agencies have authority; this could inadvertently lead to overlapping and conflicting requirements, for ensuring the security of radioactive materials in transport. These agencies are working together to avoid this situation. This paper will describe the statutes that define each agency's role regarding secure transport of radioactive materials and how these agencies are working together to develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to define each agency's responsibility and authority, to ensure consistent application of the statutes, and to avoid duplication of efforts. The major program elements, such as inspection, enforcement and development of requirements, are elaborated upon in the paper.