§ 1653. Federal-State agreements

(a) The Governor, on behalf of the State of Vermont, may enter into agreements with the federal government providing for discontinuance of certain of the federal government’s responsibilities with respect to by-product, source, and special nuclear materials and the assumption of these responsibilities by the State of Vermont.

(b) In the event of such agreement:

(1) The Department shall provide by rule for general or specific licensing of by-product, source, special nuclear materials, or devices or equipment utilizing such materials. The rule shall provide for amendment, suspension, or revocation of licenses. A rule adopted under this subsection shall be consistent with regulations duly adopted by the NRC except as the Commissioner determines is necessary to protect public health.

(2) The Department shall have authority to:

(A) impose conditions that are individual to a license when necessary to protect public health and safety;

(B) reciprocate in the recognition of specific licenses issued by the NRC or another state that has reached agreement with the NRC pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2021(b) (agreement state);

(C) require that licensees and unlicensed individuals comply with the federal statutes and regulations relating to the authority assumed by the Department under this section and with the rules adopted by the Department under this section; and

(D) exempt certain by-product, source, or special nuclear materials or kinds of uses or users from the licensing or registration requirements set forth in this section when the Department makes a finding that the exemption of such materials or kinds of uses or users will not constitute a significant risk to the health and safety of the public.

(3) The Department may collect a fee for licenses issued under this section. The fee schedule for these licenses shall be the schedule adopted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and published in 10 C.F.R. § 170.31 that is in effect as of July 1, 2016. Fees collected under this section shall be credited to the Nuclear Regulatory Fund established and managed under subdivision (4) of this subsection and shall be available to the Department to offset the costs of providing services under this section.

(4) There is established the Nuclear Regulatory Fund to consist of the fees collected under subdivision (3) of this subsection and any other monies that may be appropriated to or deposited into the Fund. Balances in the Nuclear Regulatory Fund shall be expended solely for the purposes set forth in this section and shall not be used for the general obligations of government. All balances in the Fund at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried forward and remain part of the Fund, and interest earned by the Fund shall be deposited in the Fund. The Nuclear Regulatory Fund is established in the State Treasury pursuant to 32 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 7, subchapter 5.

(5) Any person having a license immediately before the effective date of an agreement under subsection (a) of this section from the federal government or agreement state relating to by-product material, source material, or special nuclear material and which on the effective date of this agreement is subject to the control of this State shall be considered to have a like license with the State of Vermont until the expiration date specified in the license from the federal government or agreement state or until the end of the 90th day after the person receives notice from the Department that the license will be considered expired.

(6) The Department shall require each person who possesses or uses by-product, source, or special nuclear materials to maintain records relating to the receipt, storage, transfer, or disposal of such materials and such other records as the Department may require subject to such exemptions as may be provided by rule.

(7) Violations:

(A) A person shall not use, manufacture, produce, transport, transfer, receive, acquire, own, or possess any by-product, source, or special nuclear material unless licensed by or registered with the Department in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter.

(B) The Department shall have the authority in the event of an emergency to impound or order the impounding of by-product, source, and special nuclear materials in the possession of any person who is not equipped to observe or fails to observe the provisions of this chapter or any rules adopted under this chapter.

(8) The provisions of this section relating to the control of by-product, source, and special nuclear materials shall become effective on the effective date of an agreement between the federal government and this State as provided in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) This section does not confer authority to regulate materials or activities reserved to the NRC under 42 U.S.C. § 2021(c) and 10 C.F.R. part 150. (Added 1967, No. 27, § 3; amended 2015, No. 82 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)