§29-1H-1. Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Approved

The following Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact, which has been negotiated by representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the states of West Virginia, Delaware and Maryland, is hereby approved, ratified, adopted, enacted into law, and entered into by the State of West Virginia as a party state thereto, namely:

APPALACHIAN STATES LOW-LEVEL

RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMPACT

Preamble

WHEREAS, The United States Congress, by enacting the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (42 U.S.C. Sections 2021b-2021d) has encouraged the use of interstate compacts to provide for the establishment and operation of facilities for regional management of low-level radioactive waste; and

WHEREAS, Under section 4 (a) (1) (A) of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (42 U.S.C. Sections 2021 (a) (1) (A)), each state is responsible for providing for the capacity for disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders; and

WHEREAS, To promote the health, safety and welfare of residents within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the states of West Virginia, Delaware and Maryland, the aforementioned states wish to enter into a compact for the regional management of low-level radioactive waste;

Now, therefore, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the states of West Virginia, Delaware and Maryland hereby agree to enter into the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact.

Article 1

Definitions

As used in this Compact, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "Broker" means any intermediate person who handles, treats, processes, stores, packages, ships or otherwise has responsibility for or possesses low-level waste obtained from a generator.

(b) "Carrier" means a person who transports low-level waste to a regional facility.

(c) "Commission" means the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission.

(d) "Disposal" means the isolation of low-level waste from the biosphere.

(e) "Facility" means any real or personal property, within the region, and improvements thereof or thereon, and any and all plant, structures, machinery, and equipment, acquired, constructed, operated or maintained for the management or disposal of low-level waste.

(f) "Generate" means to produce low-level waste requiring disposal.

(g) "Generator" means a person whose activity results in the production of low-level waste requiring disposal.

(h) "Hazardous life" means the time required for radioactive materials to decay to safe levels, as defined by the time period for the concentration of radioactive materials within a given container or package to decay to maximum permissible concentrations as defined by federal law or by standards to be set by a host state, whichever is more restrictive.

(i) "Host state" means Pennsylvania or any other party state so designated by the Commission in accordance with Article 3 of this Compact.

(j) "Institutional control period" means the time of the continued observation, monitoring and care of the regional facility following transfer of control from the operator to the custodial agency.

(k) "Low-level waste" means radioactive waste that: