§ 7002. Timetable and responsibilities
(a) The following timetable and responsibilities shall be adhered to:
(1) Within 60 days of June 29, 1990, the Governor shall appoint the initial members of
the Authority.
(2) As soon as practicable, the Authority shall, after public comment, initiate a study
to determine the maximum appropriate separation of long-lived waste, the appropriate
level of recoverability of such waste, and the appropriate permanent disposal technology
and cost for that waste.
(3) As soon as practicable, the Authority shall initiate the site characterization of
the Yankee site.
(4) As soon as practicable, the Authority shall begin collecting data for the screening
of the Town of Vernon and of the rest of the State in order to identify potential
alternative sites for a disposal facility.
(5) Within 270 days of June 29, 1990, the Agency shall, after public comment, adopt rules
establishing the siting, screening, and certification requirements under sections
7021 and 7022 of this title.
(6) On or before November 1, 1991, the Authority shall:
(A) complete the characterization of the Yankee site;
(B) after public comment, select at least three potential alternate sites, including one
in the Town of Vernon.
(7) Within 60 days of the submission by the Authority of a request for certification of
a potential alternative site, the Agency shall decide if the site meets the applicable
siting requirements.
(8) As soon as practicable, the Authority shall, after public comment, decide whether
to characterize a certified site other than the Yankee site or to complete the requirements
of subsection 7012(f) of this title for the Yankee site. Then, if the Yankee site has been certified by the Agency as
meeting the siting requirements and if the requirements of subsection 7012(f) have
been completed, the Authority may decide whether to prepare a draft license application
for a disposal facility at the Yankee site.
(9) On or before December 15, 1991, the Authority must decide either to characterize an
alternative site or to prepare a draft license application for a facility at a previously
characterized site. Then, initially before January 15, 1992, and subsequently within
30 days of any similar decision, the Authority must petition the General Assembly
under chapter 157 of this title for approval of its decision.
(10) If the General Assembly approves a petition to characterize an alternate site or sites
or if it directs the characterization of an alternate site or sites, then the Authority
must begin characterization and, within 18 months of the legislative decisions, the
Authority must complete characterization. Following the completion of characterization,
the Authority must again decide whether to characterize another certified site or
sites or to complete the requirements of subsection 7012(f) for the characterized
site. Then, if the requirements of subsection 7012(f) have been completed, the Authority
may decide whether to prepare a draft license application for a disposal facility
at a characterized site.
(11) If the General Assembly approves a petition to prepare a draft license application
or directs the preparation of a draft license for a disposal facility at a particular
characterized site, the Authority shall, within six months of the legislative action
or the effective date of the rules required by sections 7023 and 7024 of this title, whichever is later, after public comment, submit a draft license application to
the Agency for review.
(12) Within 18 months of June 29, 1990, based on the results of the study required in subdivision
(2) of this subsection and after public comment, the Authority shall:
(A) make recommendations to the Agency for rules on separation and recoverability of long-lived
waste;
(B) make recommendations to the Agency for rules on the disposal facility design standards;
and
(C) make an initial report to the General Assembly and to the Public Service Board on
the possible appropriate technologies, and their costs, for the permanent disposal
of the long-lived waste.
(13) Within six months of receiving the Authority’s recommendations and after public comment,
the Agency shall adopt the separation, recoverability, and design standards under
section 7023 of this title and the draft license application standards and review procedures under section 7024 of this title.
(14) By July 1, 1992 after public comment, the Authority shall petition the Public Service
Board for approval of a service fee under subsections 7013(e) and 7020(b) of this
chapter and shall propose adequate financial assurance requirements as part of the
same proceeding.
(15) Within six months of receiving the draft license application, the Agency must complete
its review.
(16) Not later than 30 days after completion of the review of the draft license application
by the Agency, the Authority shall apply to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
for a license to construct and operate a disposal facility in the State.
(17) Not later than 30 days after completion of the review of the draft license application
by the Agency, the Authority shall apply for a land use permit under chapter 151 of
this title.
(18) Within 180 days of obtaining a license and a land use permit, the Authority shall
begin construction of the disposal facility.
(19) As soon as practicable, the Authority shall begin operation of the disposal facility.
(20) Within 120 days of the completion of decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear
generating facility, the Authority shall begin closure of the disposal facility.
(b) Subdivisions (a)(3) and (a)(6) through (a)(20) of this section may be, but need not
be, complied with if, at the time the action is required, the State has entered into
a compact or agreement adequately providing for the out-of-state disposal of the expected
low-level radioactive wastes. (Added 1989, No. 296 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. June 29, 1990; amended 2009, No. 33, § 31; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 39.)