PHMSA Interpretation 18-0088 (Class 7 Applicability)
This document is a formal interpretation letter issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). It responds to a private party’s request for clarification about how federal hazardous materials regulations apply to radioactive materials during transportation, specifically under 49 C.F.R. Part 173. Interpretation letters like this are part of […]
DOE Consent-Based Siting Activities Update (May 1, 2024)
This document, “Consent-Based Siting Process” (DOE, updated 2023/2024), is an official policy framework issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It lays out how the federal government plans to identify locations for consolidated interim storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel using a “consent-based” approach. Rather than selecting a site, the document describes a multi-stage […]
DOE Moves Forward with Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Project for Spent Nuclear Fuel
This Department of Energy (DOE) article is an official federal announcement describing a major policy step toward creating a federal consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel. It explains that DOE has formally determined there is a “mission need” for such a facility and has approved the first stage of the project planning […]
40 CFR Part 191 – Environmental Radiation Protection Standards (Cornell LII)
This document is the full legal text of 40 C.F.R. Part 191, a federal regulation issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It establishes nationwide environmental radiation protection standards for the management, storage, and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and transuranic waste. It is part of Title 40 of the Code of […]
EPA Radiation Regulations & Laws (Hub)
This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) webpage is a central directory of U.S. radiation laws, regulations, and guidance. It brings together links to the legal framework governing how radiation, including that from nuclear waste, is controlled and monitored in the United States. Rather than being a single rule, the page functions as a hub for multiple […]
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Overview
This webpage (ceq.doe.gov) is a federal information portal for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), supported by the U.S. Department of Energy but tied to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It serves as a central access point for NEPA-related resources, guidance, and tools used by federal agencies when evaluating environmental impacts of […]
Moving Forward with Consent-Based Siting for Nuclear Waste
This report, “Consent-Based Siting for Nuclear Waste Facilities”, by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is a policy report from a nonpartisan think tank, not a government agency. It summarizes research, stakeholder input, and policy discussions on how the United States might identify locations for interim storage or permanent disposal of nuclear waste using a “consent-based” […]
GAO Nuclear Waste Disposal Topic Hub
This Government Accountability Office (GAO) webpage is a public-facing issue summary on nuclear waste disposal in the United States. It brings together key findings from multiple GAO reports and audits examining how the federal government manages spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The GAO is an independent watchdog agency that reports to Congress, not a […]
NWTRB Perspectives on Consent-Based Siting from International Workshop (Mar 2024 PDF)
This report, “Proceedings of the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board’s 2023 International Workshop on Siting of Radioactive Waste Facilities” (2024) is a federal workshop summary prepared by the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board (NWTRB) – an independent federal oversight body created by Congress to review the scientific and technical basis of U.S. nuclear waste […]
Administrative Procedure Act (APA) Overview
This webpage from the National Archives explains the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)—a foundational federal law enacted in 1946 that governs how federal agencies operate. It is often described as the “rulebook” for federal agencies, setting the procedures they must follow when creating regulations, issuing permits, or making decisions that affect the public. The page serves […]