Nebraska Revised Statute 71-3508.04

Chapter 71

71-3508.04.

Licensee; surety; long-term site surveillance and care; funds; disposition; powers and duties.

(1) For licensed activities involving source material milling, source material mill tailings, and management of low-level radioactive waste, the department shall, and for other classes of licensed activities the department may, adopt and promulgate rules and regulations which establish standards and procedures to ensure that the licensee will provide an adequate surety or other financial arrangement to permit the completion of all requirements established by the department for the licensure, regulation, decontamination, closure, decommissioning, and reclamation of sites, structures, and equipment used in conjunction with such licensed activity in case the licensee should default for any reason in performing such requirements. All sureties required which are forfeited shall be paid to the department and remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Health and Human Services Cash Fund. Money in such fund remitted pursuant to this subsection shall be expended by the department as necessary to complete the closure and reclamation requirements and shall not be used for normal operating expenses of the department.

(2) For licensed activities involving the disposal of source material mill tailings and management of low-level radioactive waste, the department shall, and for other classes of licensed activities when radioactive material which will require surveillance or care is likely to remain at the site after the licensed activities cease the department may, adopt and promulgate rules and regulations which establish standards and procedures to ensure that the licensee, before termination of the license, will make available such funding arrangements as may be necessary to provide for long-term site surveillance and care. All such funds collected from licensees shall be paid to the department and remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the fund. All funds accrued as interest on money credited to the fund pursuant to this subsection may be expended by the department for the continuing long-term surveillance, maintenance, and other care of facilities from which such funds are collected as necessary for protection of the occupational and public health and safety and the environment. If title to and custody of any radioactive material and its disposal site are transferred to the United States upon termination of any license for which funds have been collected for such long-term care, the collected funds and interest accrued thereon shall be transferred to the United States.

(3) The sureties or other financial arrangements and funds required by this section shall be established in amounts sufficient to ensure compliance with standards, if any, established by the department pertaining to licensure, regulation, closure, decommissioning, reclamation, and long-term site surveillance and care of such facilities and sites.

(4) To provide for the proper care and surveillance of sites subject to subsection (2) of this section which are not subject to section 71-3508.01 or 71-3508.02, the state may acquire by gift or transfer from another governmental agency or private person any land and appurtenances necessary to fulfill the purposes of this section. Any such gift or transfer shall be subject to approval and acceptance by the Legislature.

(5) The department may by contract, agreement, lease, or license with any person, including another state agency, provide for the decontamination, closure, decommissioning, reclamation, surveillance, or other care of a site subject to this section as needed to carry out the purposes of this section.

(6) If a person licensed by any governmental agency other than the department desires to transfer a site to the state for the purpose of administering or providing long-term care, a lump-sum deposit shall be made to the department and remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Health and Human Services Cash Fund. The amount of such deposit shall be determined by the department taking into account the factors stated in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.