4 Environmental and Related Requirements

This chapter summarizes the major environmental laws relevant to decommissioning. Whereas the Atomic Energy Act (AEA 1954) is the primary law governing the management of radionuclides, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is the primary law governing hazardous waste. Other statutes also address the release and disposal of radioactive and hazardous materials. Although the DOE, the NRC, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are the primary agencies implementing these requirements, much of the authority to develop environmental regulations and enforce them has been delegated to the states. It is not practical to address the individual state environmental requirements in this handbook, many of which are similar to the federal requirements.