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[DOCID: f:h2983eh.txt]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2983
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To extend indemnification authority under section 170 of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, and for other purposes.
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2983
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To extend indemnification authority under section 170 of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Price-Anderson Reauthorization Act
of 2001''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF INDEMNIFICATION AUTHORITY.
(a) Indemnification of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Licensees.--
Section 170 c. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(c)) is
amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Licenses'' and
inserting ``Licensees''; and
(2) by striking ``August 1, 2002'' each place it appears
and inserting ``August 1, 2017''.
(b) Indemnification of Department of Energy Contractors.--Section
170 d.(1)(A) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d)(1)(A))
is amended by striking ``August 1, 2002'' and inserting ``August 1,
2017''.
(c) Indemnification of Nonprofit Educational Institutions.--Section
170 k. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(k)) is amended
by striking ``August 1, 2002'' each place it appears and inserting
``August 1, 2017''.
SEC. 3. MAXIMUM ASSESSMENT.
Section 170 b.(1) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C.
2210(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) in the second proviso of the third sentence--
(A) by striking ``$63,000,000'' and inserting
``$94,000,000''; and
(B) by striking ``$10,000,000 in any 1 year'' and
inserting ``$15,000,000 in any 1 year (subject to
adjustment for inflation under subsection t.)''; and
(2) in subsection t.--
(A) by inserting ``total and annual'' after
``amount of the maximum'';
(B) by striking ``the date of the enactment of the
Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 1988'' and inserting
``July 1, 2001''; and
(C) by striking ``such date of enactment'' and
inserting ``July 1, 2001''.
SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY LIABILITY LIMIT.
(a) Indemnification of Department of Energy Contractors.--Section
170 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d)) is amended
by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) Indemnification agreements.--In an agreement of
indemnification entered into under paragraph (1), the Secretary--
``(A) may require the contractor to provide and maintain
the financial protection of such a type and in such amounts as
the Secretary shall determine to be appropriate to cover public
liability arising out of or in connection with the contractual
activity; and
``(B) shall indemnify the persons indemnified against such
liability above the amount of the financial protection
required, in the amount of $10,000,000,000 (subject to
adjustment for inflation under subsection t.), in the
aggregate, for all persons indemnified in connection with the
contract and for each nuclear incident, including such legal
costs of the contractor as are approved by the Secretary.''.
(b) Contract Amendments.--Section 170 d. of the Atomic Energy Act
of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and
inserting the following:
``(3) Contract amendments.--All agreements of indemnification under
which the Department of Energy (or its predecessor agencies) may be
required to indemnify any person under this section shall be deemed to
be amended, on the date of enactment of the Price-Anderson
Reauthorization Act of 2001, to reflect the amount of indemnity for
public liability and any applicable financial protection required of
the contractor under this subsection.''.
(c) Liability Limit.--Section 170 e.(1)(B) of the Atomic Energy Act
of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(e)(1)(B)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``the maximum amount of financial
protection required under subsection b. or''; and
(2) by striking ``paragraph (3) of subsection d., whichever
amount is more'' and inserting ``paragraph (2) of subsection
d.''.
SEC. 5. INCIDENTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
(a) Amount of Indemnification.--Section 170 d.(5) of the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d)(5)) is amended by striking
``$100,000,000'' and inserting ``$500,000,000''.
(b) Liability Limit.--Section 170 e.(4) of the Atomic Energy Act of
1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(e)(4)) is amended by striking ``$100,000,000'' and
inserting ``$500,000,000''.
SEC. 6. REPORTS.
Section 170 p. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(p))
is amended by striking ``August 1, 1998'' and inserting ``August 1,
2013''.
SEC. 7. INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.
Section 170 t. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(t))
is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(2) by adding after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Adjustment.--The Secretary shall adjust the amount of
indemnification provided under an agreement of indemnification under
subsection d. not less than once during each 5-year period following
July 1, 2001, in accordance with the aggregate percentage change in the
Consumer Price Index since--
``(A) that date, in the case of the first adjustment under
this paragraph; or
``(B) the previous adjustment under this paragraph.''.
SEC. 8. PRICE-ANDERSON TREATMENT OF MODULAR REACTORS.
Section 170 b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(b))
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5)(A) For purposes of this section only, the Commission shall
consider a combination of facilities described in subparagraph (B) to
be a single facility having a rated capacity of 100,000 electrical
kilowatts or more.
``(B) A combination of facilities referred to in subparagraph (A)
is 2 or more facilities located at a single site, each of which has a
rated capacity of 100,000 electrical kilowatts or more but not more
than 300,000 electrical kilowatts, with a combined rated capacity of
not more than 1,300,000 electrical kilowatts.''.
SEC. 9. APPLICABILITY.
The amendments made by sections 3, 4, and 5 do not apply to a
nuclear incident that occurs before the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON ASSUMPTION BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OF
LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN FOREIGN ACCIDENTS.
Section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``u. Prohibition on Assumption of Liability for Certain Foreign
Accidents.--Notwithstanding this section or any other provision of law,
no officer of the United States or of any department, agency, or
instrumentality of the United States Government may enter into any
contract or other arrangement, or into any amendment or modification of
a contract or other arrangement, the purpose or effect of which would
be to directly or indirectly impose liability on the United States
Government, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United
States Government, or to otherwise directly or indirectly require an
indemnity by the United States Government, for nuclear accidents
occurring in connection with the design, construction, or operation of
a producti
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on facility or utilization facility in any country whose
government has been identified by the Secretary of State as engaged in
state sponsorship of terrorist activities (specifically including any
country the government of which, as of September 11, 2001, had been
determined by the Secretary of State under section 620A(a) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, section 6(j)(1) of the Export
Administration Act of 1979, or section 40(d) of the Arms Export Control
Act to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international
terrorism).''.
SEC. 11. SECURE TRANSFER OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS.
(a) Amendment.--Chapter 14 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2201-2210b) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``Sec. 170C. Secure Transfer of Nuclear Materials.--
``a. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall establish a system to
ensure that, with respect to activities by any party pursuant to a
license issued under this Act--
``(1) materials described in subsection b., when
transferred or received in the United States--
``(A) from a facility licensed by the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission;
``(B) from a facility licensed by an agreement
State; or
``(C) from a country with whom the United States
has an agreement for cooperation under section 123,
are accompanied by a manifest describing the type and amount of
materials being transferred;
``(2) each individual transferring or accompanying the
transfer of such materials has been subject to a security
background check by appropriate Federal entities; and
``(3) such materials are not transferred to or received at
a destination other than a facility licensed by the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission or an agreement State under this Act or
other appropriate Federal facility, or a destination outside
the United States in a country with whom the United States has
an agreement for cooperation under section 123.
``b. Except as otherwise provided by the Commission by regulation,
the materials referred to in subsection a. are byproduct materials,
source materials, special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive
waste, spent nuclear fuel, transuranic waste, and low-level radioactive
waste (as defined in section 2(16) of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of
1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101(16))).''.
(b) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and from time to time thereafter as it considers
necessary, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall issue regulations
identifying radioactive materials that, consistent with the protection
of public health and safety and the common defense and security, are
appropriate exceptions to the requirements of section 170C of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as added by subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
take effect upon the issuance of regulations under subsection (b).
(d) Effect on Other Law.--Nothing in this section or the amendment
made by this section shall waive, modify, or affect the application of
chapter 51 of title 49, United States Code, part A of subtitle V of
title 49, United States Code, part B of subtitle VI of title 49, United
States Code, and title 23, United States Code.
(e) Table of Sections Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
14 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 is amended by adding at the end the
following new item:
``Sec. 170C. Secure transfer of nuclear materials.''.
SEC. 12. NUCLEAR FACILITY THREATS.
(a) Study.--The President, in consultation with the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission and other appropriate Federal, State, and local
agencies and private entities, shall conduct a study to identify the
types of threats that pose an appreciable risk to the security of the
various classes of facilities licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Such study shall take
into account, but not be limited to--
(1) the events of September 11, 2001;
(2) an assessment of physical, cyber, biochemical, and
other terrorist threats;
(3) the potential for attack on facilities by multiple
coordinated teams of a large number of individuals;
(4) the potential for assistance in an attack from several
persons employed at the facility;
(5) the potential for suicide attacks;
(6) the potential for water-based and air-based threats;
(7) the potential use of explosive devices of considerable
size and other modern weaponry;
(8) the potential for attacks by persons with a
sophisticated knowledge of facility operations;
(9) the potential for fires, especially fires of long
duration; and
(10) the potential for attacks on spent fuel shipments by
multiple coordinated teams of a large number of individuals.
(b) Summary and Classification Report.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall
transmit to the Congress and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission a
report--
(1) summarizing the types of threats identified under
subsection (a); and
(2) classifying each type of threat identified under
subsection (a), in accordance with existing laws and
regulations, as either--
(A) involving attacks and destructive acts,
including sabotage, directed against the facility by an
enemy of the United States, whether a foreign
government or other person, or otherwise falling under
the responsibilities of the Federal Government; or
(B) involving the type of risks that Nuclear
Regulatory Commission licensees should be responsible
for guarding against.
(c) Federal Action Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date
on which a report is transmitted under subsection (b), the President
shall transmit to the Congress a report on actions taken, or to be
taken, to address the types of threats identified under subsection
(b)(2)(A). Such report may include a classified annex as appropriate.
(d) Regulations.--Not later than 270 days after the date on which a
report is transmitted under subsection (b), the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission shall issue regulations, including changes to the design
basis threat, to ensure that licensees address the threats identified
under subsection (b)(2)(B).
(e) Physical Security Program.--The Nuclear Regulatory Commission
shall establish an operational safeguards response evaluation program
that ensures that the physical protection capability and operational
safeguards response for sensitive nuclear facilities, as determined by
the Commission consistent with the protection of public health and the
common defense and security, shall be tested periodically through
Commission approved or designed, observed, and evaluated force-on-force
exercises to determine whether the ability to defeat the design basis
threat is being maintained. For purposes of this subsection, the term
``sensitive nuclear facilities'' includes at a minimum commercial
nuclear power plants, including associated spent fuel storage
facilities, spent fuel storage pools and dry cask storage at closed
reactors, independent spent fuel storage facilities and geologic
repository operations areas, category I fuel cycle facilities, and
gaseous diffusion plants.
(f) Control of Information.--In carrying out this section, the
President and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall control the
dissemination of restricted data, safeguards information, and other
classified national security information in a manner so as to ensure
the common defense and security, consistent with chapter 12 of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954.
SEC. 13.
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INDUSTRIAL SAFETY RULES FOR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR
FACILITIES.
Section 170 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d))
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(8)(A) It shall be a condition of any agreement of
indemnification entered into under this subsection that the indemnified
party comply with regulations issued under this paragraph.
``(B) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this paragraph, the Secretary shall issue industrial health and safety
regulations that shall apply to all Department of Energy contractors
and subcontractors who are covered under agreements entered into under
this subsection for operations at Department of Energy nuclear
facilities. Such regulations shall provide a level of protection of
worker health and safety that is substantially equivalent to or
identical to that provided by the industrial and construction safety
regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (29
CFR 1910 and 1926), and shall establish civil penalties for violation
thereof that are substantially equivalent to or identical to the civil
penalties applicable to violations of the industrial and construction
safety regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration. The Secretary shall amend regulations under this
subparagraph as necessary.
``(C) Not later than 240 days after the date of the enactment of
this paragraph, all agreements described in subparagraph (B), and all
contracts and subcontracts for the indemnified contractors and
subcontractors, shall be modified to incorporate the requirements of
the regulations issued under subparagraph (B). Such modifications shall
require compliance with the requirements of the regulations not later
than 1 year after the issuance of the regulations.
``(D) Enforcement of regulations issued under subparagraph (B), and
inspections required in the course thereof, shall be conducted by the
Office of Enforcement of the Office of Environment, Safety, and Health
of the Department of Energy. The Secretary shall transmit to the
Congress an annual report on the implementation of this subparagraph.
``(E) This paragraph shall not apply to facilities and activities
covered by section 7 of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50
U.S.C. 2406).''.
SEC. 14. UNREASONABLE RISK CONSULTATION.
Section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``v. Unreasonable Risk Consultation.--Before entering into an
agreement of indemnification under this section with respect to a
utilization facility, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall consult
with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (or any
successor official) concerning whether the location of the proposed
facility and the design of that type of facility ensure that the
facility provides for adequate protection of public health and safety
if subject to a terrorist attack.''.
SEC. 15. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) Amendment.--Section 170 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2210) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``w. Financial Accountability.--(1) Notwithstanding subsection d.,
the Attorney General may bring an action in the appropriate United
States district court to recover from a contractor of the Secretary (or
subcontractor or supplier of such contractor) amounts paid by the
Federal Government under an agreement of indemnification under
subsection d. for public liability resulting from conduct which
constitutes intentional misconduct of any corporate officer, manager,
or superintendent of such contractor (or subcontractor or supplier of
such contractor).
``(2) The Attorney General may recover under paragraph (1) an
amount not to exceed the amount of the profit derived by the defendant
from the contract.
``(3) No amount recovered from any contractor (or subcontractor or
supplier of such contractor) under paragraph (1) may be reimbursed
directly or indirectly by the Department of Energy.
``(4) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any nonprofit entity
conducting activities under contract for the Secretary.
``(5) No waiver of a defense required under this section shall
prevent a defendant from asserting such defense in an action brought
under this subsection.
``(6) The Secretary shall, by rule, define the terms `profit' and
`nonprofit entity' for purposes of this subsection. Such rulemaking
shall be completed not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this subsection.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall not
apply to any agreement of indemnification entered into under section
170 d. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2210(d)) before the
date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 16. CIVIL PENALTIES.
(a) Repeal of Automatic Remission.--Section 234A b. (2) of the
Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2282a(b)(2)) is amended by
striking the last sentence.
(b) Limitation for Nonprofit Institutions.--Subsection d. of
section 234A of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2282a(d)) is
amended to read as follows:
``d. Notwithstanding subsection a., a civil penalty for a violation
under subsection a. shall not exceed the amount of any discretionary
fee paid under the contract under which such violation occurs for any
nonprofit contractor, subcontractor, or supplier--
``(1) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a)
of such Code; or
``(2) identified by the Secretary by rule as appropriate to
be treated the same under this subsection as an entity
described in paragraph (1), consistent with the purposes of
this section.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall not
apply to any violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 occurring under
a contract entered into before the date of the enactment of this Act.
(d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall issue a rule for
the implementation of the amendment made by subsection (b).
Passed the House of Representatives November 27, 2001.
Attest:
Clerk.
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