§ 150.31 Requirements for Agreement State regulation of byproduct material.

(a) Prior to November 8, 1981, in the licensing and regulation of byproduct material, as defined in § 150.3(c)(2) of this part, or of any activity which results in the production of such byproduct material, an Agreement State shall require compliance with the requirements in appendix A of 10 CFR part 40 of this chapter to the maximum extent practicable.

(b) After November 8, 1981, in the licensing and regulation of byproduct material, as defined in § 150.3(c)(2) of this part, or of any activity which results in the production of such byproduct material, an Agreement State shall require:

(1) Compliance with requirements in appendix A of 10 CFR part 40 of this chapter established by the Commission pertaining to ownership of such byproduct material and disposal sites for such material; and

(2) Compliance with standards which shall be adopted by the Agreement State for the protection of the public health, safety, and the environment from hazards associated with such material which are equivalent, to the extent practicable, or more stringent than, standards in appendix A of 10 CFR part 40 of this chapter adopted and enforced by the Commission for the same purposes, including requirements and standards subsequently promulgated by the Commission and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to the Uranium Mill Tailing Radiation Control Act of 1978; and

(3) Compliance with procedures which:

(i) In the case of licenses, under State law include:

(A) An opportunity, after public notice, for written comments and a public hearing, with a transcript;

(B) An opportunity for cross examination; and

(C) A written determination by the appropriate State official which is based upon findings included in such determination and upon the evidence presented during the public comment period and which is subject to judicial review;

(ii) In the case of rulemaking, provide an opportunity for public participation through written comments or a public hearing and provide for judicial review of the rule;

(iii) Require for each licensing action which has a significant impact on the human environment a written analysis by the appropriate State agency (which shall be available to the public before the commencement of any such proceedings) of the impact of such licensing action, including any activities conducted pursuant thereto, on the environment. Such analysis shall include:

(A) An assessment of the radiological and nonradiological impacts to the public health of the activities to be conducted pursuant to such licenses;

(B) An assessment of any impact on any waterway and groundwater resulting from such activities;

(C) Consideration of alternatives, including alternative sites and engineering methods, to the activities to be conducted pursuant to such license; and

(D) Consideration of the long term impacts, including decommissioning, decontamination, and reclamation impacts associated with activities to be conducted pursuant to such license, including the management of any byproduct material, as defined in § 150.3(c)(2) of this part; and

(iv) Prohibit commencement of construction with respect to such material prior to complying with the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section. As used in this paragraph:

(A) The term commencement of construction means taking any action defined as "construction" or any other activity at the site of a facility subject to the regulations in this part that has a reasonable nexus to radiological health and safety.

(B) The term construction means the installation of foundations, or in-place assembly, erection, fabrication, or testing for any structure, system, or component of a facility or activity subject to the regulations in this part that have a reasonable nexus to radiological safety or security. The term "construction" does not include:

(1) Changes for temporary use of the land for public recreational purposes;

(2) Site exploration, including necessary borings to determine foundation conditions or other preconstruction monitoring to establish background information related to the suitability of the site, the environmental impacts of construction or operation, or the protection of environmental values;

(3) Preparation of the site for construction of the facility, including clearing of the site, grading, installation of drainage, erosion and other environmental mitigation measures, and construction of temporary roads and borrow areas;

(4) Erection of fences and other access control measures that are not related to the safe use of or security of radiological materials subject to this part;

(5) Excavation;

(6) Erection of support buildings (e.g., construction equipment storage sheds, warehouse and shop facilities, utilities, concrete mixing plants, docking and unloading facilities, and office buildings) for use in connection with the construction of the facility;

(7) Building of service facilities (e.g., paved roads, parking lots, railroad spurs, exterior utility and lighting systems, potable water systems, sanitary sewerage treatment facilities, and transmission lines);

(8) Procurement or fabrication of components or portions of the proposed facility occurring at other than the final, in-place location at the facility; or

(9) Taking any other action which has no reasonable nexus to radiological health and safety.

(c) No Agreement State shall be required under paragraph (b) to conduct proceedings concerning any license or regulation which would duplicate proceedings conducted by the Commission.

(d) In adopting requirements pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the State may adopt alternatives (including, where appropriate, site-specific alternatives) to the requirements adopted and enforced by the Commission for the same purpose if, after notice and opportunity for public hearing, the Commission determines that the alternatives will achieve a level of stabilization and containment of the sites concerned, and a level of protection for public health, safety and the environment from radiological and nonradiological hazards associated with the sites, which is equivalent to, to the extent practicable, or more stringent than the level which would be achieved by standards and requirements adopted and enforced by the Commission for the same purpose and any final standards promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with section 275. Alternative State requirements may take into account local or regional conditions, including geology, topography, hydrology and meteorology.

[45 FR 65537, Oct. 3, 1980, and 50 FR 41866, Oct. 16, 1985; 76 FR 56966, Sep. 15, 2011]