
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC9701]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
  CHAPTER 104--NUCLEAR SAFETY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION
 
Sec. 9701. Congressional findings and declaration of policy

    (a) The Congress finds that--
        (1) nuclear energy is one of the two major energy sources 
    available for electric energy production in the United States during 
    the balance of the twentieth century;
        (2) continued development of nuclear power is dependent upon 
    maintaining an extremely high level of safety in the operation of 
    nuclear plants, and on public recognition that these facilities do 
    not constitute a significant threat to human health or safety;
        (3) it is the responsibility of utilities, as owners and 
    operators of nuclear powerplants, to assure that such plants are 
    designed and operated safely and reliably; and
        (4) a proper role of the Federal Government in assuring nuclear 
    powerplant safety, in addition to its regulatory function, is the 
    conduct of a research, development, and demonstration program to 
    provide important scientific and technical information which can 
    contribute to sound design and safe operation of these plants.

    (b) It is declared to be the policy of the United States and the 
purpose of this chapter to establish a research, development, and 
demonstration program for developing practical improvements in the 
generic safety of nuclear powerplants during the next five years, 
beginning in the fiscal year 1981. The objectives of such program shall 
be--
        (1) to reduce the likelihood and severity of potentially serious 
    nuclear powerplant accidents; and
        (2) to reduce the likelihood of disrupting the population in the 
    vicinity of nuclear powerplants as the result of nuclear powerplant 
    accidents.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as preventing the Secretary 
from undertaking projects or activities, in addition to those specified 
in this chapter, which appropriately further the purpose and objectives 
set forth in this subsection. Nothing in this chapter shall authorize 
the Secretary to assume responsibility for the management, cleanup or 
repair of any commercial nuclear powerplant. Nothing in this chapter 
shall be construed as limiting the authority of the Secretary under any 
other law.

(Pub. L. 96-567, Sec. 2, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3329.)


                               Short Title

    Section 1 of Pub. L. 96-567 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this 
chapter] may be cited as the `Nuclear Safety Research, Development, and 
Demonstration Act of 1980'.''
