Nuclear waste plan would have to overcome law passed in 80s
After the uproar in the 1980s over a proposal for storing nuclear waste in the Richton salt domes, lawmakers passed the law below:
SEC. 17-17-49. Use of salt domes or other geologic structures for disposal of radioactive waste; penalties; enforcement; authorization.
(1) No salt dome or other geologic structures within the jurisdiction of the State of Mississippi shall be the site of long-term or terminal disposal, or long-term storage for high-level radioactive wastes or other high-level radioactive material of any nature by any person, until the state has exhausted its administrative and legislative authority under the provisions of this section and Chapter 49 of Title 57, Mississippi Code of 1972, and the provisions of P.L. 97-425.
(2) Whoever violates the provisions of this section, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each day upon which the violation occurred or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six (6) months, or both. Upon violation or upon reasonable belief of violation of this section, the State Attorney General shall institute proceedings for injunctive relief in the chancery court of the county in which the violation occurred to require the immediate cessation of any testing, on-site evaluation or any other site evaluation or selection procedure regarding possible use of any salt dome or geologic structure within the jurisdiction of the State of Mississippi, the immediate cessation of transportation of high-level radioactive waste or other high-level radioactive material to the site, and the immediate removal from the State of Mississippi of such materials already located on the site.
(3)
(a) Any person, governmental entity, or any other entity desiring to use Mississippi salt domes or other geologic structures within the state for the disposal of radioactive wastes shall make notification to the Governor, the Legislature, and, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 17-17-48 through 17-17-51 and Chapter 49 of Title 57, Mississippi Code of 1972, the State Energy and Transportation Board. Such person, governmental entity, or other entity shall include with the aforementioned notification the selection method with evaluative criteria to be used and the methods and procedures of exploration to be used in selecting a site for a disposal facility. Such person, governmental entity, or other entity shall conduct such studies where specifically mandated to do so by this section in coordination with the above-mentioned state agencies, and shall assume the cost of any studies required by this section or required by the state agencies empowered to enforce the provisions of this section, whether or not the agencies or such person or entity actually conducts the study.
(b) Such person, governmental entity, or other entity desiring to establish a waste facility as defined in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall conduct studies as follows to determine the feasibility of using Mississippi salt domes or other geologic structures within the state for the disposal of radioactive wastes. A hydrogeologic and geologic study shall be conducted. All basic data and documentation pertinent to all aspects of such studies together with any conclusions shall be presented as accumulated to the Governor, the Legislature, and, pursuant to the provisions of Sections 17-17-48 through 17-17-51 and Chapter 49 of Title 57, Mississippi Code of 1972, the State Energy and Transportation Board.
(c) Such person, governmental entity, or other entity desiring to establish a waste facility as defined in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall conduct an environmental impact survey in conjunction with the Bureau of Pollution Control of the Department of Natural Resources or its successor. Copies of this completed survey shall be presented to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Energy and Transportation Board.
(d) Such person, governmental entity, or other entity desiring to establish a waste facility as defined in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall conduct a socioeconomic impact survey in conjunction with the University Research Center. Such survey shall include, but not be limited to, the allocation of costs regarding roads, bridges, relocation of persons and properties, and the effect on local tax revenues. Copies of this completed survey shall be sent to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Energy and Transportation Board.
(4) Upon the completion of such thorough technological, environmental and socioeconomic studies as required in subsection (3) of this section, the Governor shall consult with representatives of the agencies mentioned herein and with representatives of the affected county, including, but not limited to, the board of supervisors. The Governor shall thereafter determine the advisability of such facility at the proposed site. If the Governor’s decision after such consultations is favorable to the establishment of the nuclear waste disposal site, he shall advise the Legislature of his decision regarding creation of such disposal facility. If the Governor’s decision, after such consultations, is not favorable to the establishment of the nuclear waste storage and/or disposal facility, and after the president has recommended a site in the State of Mississippi for development as a repository, test and evaluation facility, interim storage facility or monitored, retrievable storage facility, the Governor shall notify the Legislature of that decision and either the Governor or the Legislature shall prepare and transmit to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate a notice of disapproval of the site recommendation. The notice of disapproval shall contain a statement of those reasons for objection to the site recommendation. All such disposal or storage shall be made in strict adherence to guidelines established by the federal government, the Division of Radiological Health of the State Board of Health and the provisions of this section.
SOURCES: Laws, 1979, ch. 491, Sec. 8; 1980, ch. 480, Sec. 2; 1982, ch. 474, Sec. 24; 1983, ch. 505, Sec. 7; 1988, ch. 518, Sec. 16, eff from and after July 1, 1988.
Geoff Pender
8/26/13
Magnolia Tribune
