Part D - Hanford Reservation, Washington

50 USC 2621 - Safety measures for waste tanks at Hanford Nuclear Reservation

(a) Identification and monitoring of tanks
Not later than February 3, 1991, the Secretary of Energy shall identify which single-shelled or double-shelled high-level nuclear waste tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Richland, Washington, may have a serious potential for release of high-level waste due to uncontrolled increases in temperature or pressure. After completing such identification, the Secretary shall determine whether continuous monitoring is being carried out to detect a release or excessive temperature or pressure at each tank so identified. If such monitoring is not being carried out, as soon as practicable the Secretary shall install such monitoring, but only if a type of monitoring that does not itself increase the danger of a release can be installed.

(b) Action plans
Not later than March 5, 1991, the Secretary of Energy shall develop action plans to respond to excessive temperature or pressure or a release from any tank identified under subsection (a).

(c) Prohibition
Beginning March 5, 1991, no additional high-level nuclear waste (except for small amounts removed and returned to a tank for analysis) may be added to a tank identified under subsection (a) unless the Secretary determines that no safer alternative than adding such waste to the tank currently exists or that the tank does not pose a serious potential for release of high-level nuclear waste.

(d) Report
Not later than May 5, 1991, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on actions taken to promote tank safety, including actions taken pursuant to this section, and the Secretarys timetable for resolving outstanding issues on how to handle the waste in such tanks.

50 USC 2622 - Hanford waste tank cleanup program reforms

(a) Establishment of Office of River Protection
The Secretary of Energy shall establish an office at the Hanford Reservation, Richland, Washington, to be known as the Office of River Protection (in this section referred to as the Office).

(b) Management and responsibilities of Office

(1) The Office shall be headed by a senior official of the Department of Energy, who shall report to the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management.

(2) The head of the Office shall be responsible for managing, consistent with the policy direction established by the Department, all aspects of the River Protection Project, Richland, Washington.

(3)

(A) The Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management shall delegate in writing responsibility for the management of the River Protection Project, Richland, Washington, to the head of the Office.

(B) Such delegation shall include, at a minimum, authorities for contracting, financial management, safety, and general program management that are equivalent to the authorities of managers of other operations offices of the Department of Energy.

(C) The head of the Office shall, to the maximum extent possible, coordinate all activities of the Office with the manager of the Richland Operations Office of the Department of Energy.

(c) Department responsibilities
The Secretary shall provide the head of the Office with the resources and personnel necessary to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (b)(2).

(d) Report
The Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, not later than November 29, 2000, a copy of the delegation of authority required by subsection (b)(3).

(e) Report
Not later than 2 years after the commencement of operations of the Office, the Secretary shall submit to the committees referred to in subsection (d) a report describing

(1) any progress in or resulting from the utilization of the Tank Waste Remediation System; and

(2) any improvements in the management structure of the Department at Hanford with respect to the Tank Waste Remediation System as a result of the Office.

(f) Termination

(1) The Office shall terminate on the later to occur of the following dates:

(A) September 30, 2010.

(B) The date on which the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management determines, in consultation with the head of the Office, that continuation of the Office is no longer necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Department of Energy under the Tri-Party Agreement.

(2) The Assistant Secretary shall notify, in writing, the committees referred to in subsection (d) of a determination under paragraph (1).

(3) In this subsection, the term Tri-Party Agreement means the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order entered into among the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the State of Washington Department of Ecology.

50 USC 2623 - River Protection Project

The tank waste remediation system environmental project, Richland, Washington, including all programs relating to the retrieval and treatment of tank waste at the site at Hanford, Washington, under the management of the Office of River Protection, shall be known and designated as the River Protection Project. Any reference to that project in any law, regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the United States shall be considered to be a reference to the River Protection Project.

50 USC 2624 - Funding for termination costs of River Protection Project, Richland, Washington

The Secretary of Energy may not use appropriated funds to establish a reserve for the payment of any costs of termination of any contract relating to the River Protection Project, Richland, Washington (as designated by section 2623 of this title), that is terminated after October 30, 2000. Such costs may be paid from

(1) appropriations originally available for the performance of the contract concerned;

(2) appropriations currently available for privatization initiatives in carrying out environmental restoration and waste management activities necessary for national security programs, and not otherwise obligated; or

(3) funds appropriated specifically for the payment of such costs.