,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bhga ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bh1 #bjba,mr4 ,markey introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to establish a task force on the implications of amending the ,atomic ,energy ,act of #aied to remove exemptions from environmental laws for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste to allow for consent-based siting of geologic repositories4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,nuclear ,waste ,task ,force ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,task force 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,environmental justice community ,the term environmental justice community means a community with a significant representation of communities of color1 low-income communities1 or ,tribal and indigenous communities that experiences1 or is at risk of experiencing1 higher or more adverse human health or environmental effects1 as compared to other communities4 7#b7 ,,epa representative ,the term ,,epa representative means the member of the ,task ,force appointed under subsection 7c77#b77;,b77i74 7#c7 ,high-level radioactive waste ,the term high-level radioactive waste has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,nuclear ,waste ,policy ,act of #aihb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaja74 7#d7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe means an ,indian tribe included on the list published by the ,secretary of the ,interior under section #ajd of the ,federally ,recognized ,indian ,tribe ,list ,act of #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 7#e7 ,spent nuclear fuel ,the term spent nuclear fuel has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,nuclear ,waste ,policy ,act of #aihb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaja74 7#f7 ,task ,force ,the term ,task ,force means the task force established under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,establishment ,the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency shall establish a task force1 to be known as ,task ,force on the ,implications of ,amending the ,atomic ,energy ,act of #aied to ,remove ,exemptions from ,environmental ,laws for ,spent ,nuclear ,fuel ,and ,high-,level ,radioactive ,waste to ,allow for ,consent-,based ,siting of ,geologic ,repositories-- 7#a7 to continue the work of the #bjab ,blue ,ribbon ,commission on ,america's ,nuclear ,future1 which found that consent was necessary to successfully arrive at permanent disposal sites for nuclear waste2 and 7#b7 to analyze the implications of amending the ,atomic ,energy ,act of #aied 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq47 to remove exemptions from environmental laws for spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors and high-level radioactive waste from defense and commercial origins in order to create a consent-driven pathway to addressing the disposal challenges of commercial and defense nuclear waste4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall include a balanced representation of-- 7,a7 ,federal1 ,state1 ,tribal1 and local government agencies2 7,b7 nongovernmental organizations2 7,c7 unions2 and 7,d7 the private sector4 7#b7 ,members 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,task ,force shall be composed of not more than #cj members who represent entities that-- 7i7 are currently affected by the storage1 treatment1 or management of commercial or defense nuclear waste2 or 7ii7 have cognizable and well-understood interests in the objectives of the ,task ,force4 7,b7 ,federal members ,not more than #e members of the ,task ,force shall be representatives of the ,federal ,government1 of whom-- 7i7 #a shall be appointed by the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency to represent the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7ii7 #a shall be appointed by the ,secretary of ,energy to represent the ,department of ,energy2 7iii7 #a shall be appointed by the ,nuclear ,regulatory ,commission to represent the ,nuclear ,regulatory ,commission2 7iv7 #a shall be appointed by the ,director of the ,white ,house ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy to represent the ,white ,house ,office of ,science and ,technology ,policy2 and 7v7 #a shall be appointed by the ,secretary of ,transportation to represent the ,department of ,transportation4 7,c7 ,non-,federal members 7i7 ,in general ,except as provided in clause 7ii71 the ,,epa representative shall appoint the non-,federal members of the ,task ,force4 7ii7 ,state government representatives 7,i7 ,in general ,the ,,epa representative shall select not fewer than #g ,states1 representing a geographical balance from across the ,united ,states1 the governments of which shall be represented on the ,task ,force4 7,,ii7 ,appointment ,the ,governor of a ,state selected under subclause 7,i71 or an appropriate agency of the ,state1 such as a ,state department of ecology or ,state environment department1 if the ,governor determines it to be appropriate1 shall appoint the representative of the ,state government who shall serve on the ,task ,force4 7iii7 ,other non-,federal members 7,i7 ,geographic and historical balance ,in selecting the non-,federal members of the ,task ,force1 the ,,epa representative shall ensure-- 7aa7 a geographical balance among the non-,federal members from across the ,united ,states2 and 7bb7 a balance of historical concerns with respect to nuclear waste4 7,,ii7 ,interests ,in selecting the non-,federal members of the ,task ,force1 the ,,epa representative shall ensure that not fewer than #ah members are selected from among representatives of-- 7aa7 ,indian ,tribes2 7bb7 national environmental interest groups2 7cc7 regional environmental justice groups2 7dd7 industry2 7ee7 labor organizations2 7ff7 professional societies2 and 7gg7 safety- and health-related organizations4 7,d7 ,selection of ,chair ,the non-,federal members of the ,task ,force appointed under subparagraph 7,c7 shall select the ,chair of the ,task ,force from among the non-,federal members4 7#c7 ,compensation2 expenses 7,a7 ,compensation ,a member of the ,task ,force shall serve without compensation4 7,b7 ,expenses ,a member of the ,task ,force shall receive reimbursement from the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency at the applicable ,federal per diem rate for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the ,task ,force4 7d7 ,grants ,subject to the approval of the ,federal members of the ,task ,force appointed under subsection 7c77#b77;,b71 the ,chair of the ,task ,force may provide participation grants to task force members from underresourced communities1 environmental justice communities1 or nonprofit organizations that are located in environmental justice communities and represent and work on behalf of environmental justice communities with respect to issues relating to the storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste4 7e7 ,duties 7#a7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,task ,force shall submit to ,congress and the ,president a report1 in unclassified form1 that-- 7,a7 7i7 provides a clear explanation of what constitutes consent-based siting2 and 7ii7 includes recommendations on how consent-based siting could be practically implemented2 7,b7 describes and evaluates1 taking into consideration the consent-based siting recommendations of the #bjab ,blue ,ribbon ,commission for ,america's ,nuclear ,future-- 7i7 the implications of amending the ,atomic ,energy ,act of #aied 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq47 to remove exemptions from environmental laws1 such as the ,solid ,waste ,disposal ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fija et seq47 7commonly known as the ,resource ,conservation and ,recovery ,act of #aigf71 for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste1 while maintaining ,federal minimum standards2 7ii7 the likely allocations of precise regulatory responsibilities under any amendment to the ,atomic ,energy ,act of #aied 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq47 described and evaluated under clause 7i72 and 7iii7 the timeframe necessary for developing regulations in accordance with clause 7ii7 and subparagraph 7,c72 and 7,c7 includes recommendations for appropriate legislative and regulatory changes based on the matters described and evaluated under subparagraph 7,b74 7#b7 ,notice and comment 7,a7 ,in general ,in preparing the report under paragraph 7#a71 the ,task ,force shall provide public notice and an opportunity for comment on the matters described in paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,requirement ,to ensure sufficient opportunity for timely public input on the matters described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,task ,force shall provide not fewer than #c opportunities for public comment under subparagraph 7,a71 including-- 7i7 #a opportunity on the ,east ,coast2 7ii7 #a opportunity on the ,west ,coast2 and 7iii7 #a opportunity in the middle region of the ,united ,states4