PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-598.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Aug 1, 2012
Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2012 - Establishes as an independent agency in the executive branch: (1) the Nuclear Waste Administration (NWA) to provide for the permanent disposal of nuclear waste, including the siting, construction, and operation of additional repositories, a test and evaluation facility, and additional storage facilities; and (2) the Nuclear Waste Oversight Board.
Transfers to the NWA Administrator specified functions of the Secretary of Energy.
Prescribes guidelines for nuclear waste facilities and for the identification and suitability of candidate sites.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt generally applicable standards to protect the environment from offsite releases from radioactive material in geological repositories.
Directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to amend its regulations governing the licensing of geological repositories to make them consistent with comparable EPA standards.
Prohibits the Administrator, before ratification of a consent agreement with a state, local, or tribal government, from possessing, taking title to, or storing more than 10,000 metric tons of spent nuclear repository fuel at a storage facility licensed under this Act.
Requires the Secretary to arrange for the Administrator to dispose of defense wastes in a repository developed under this Act.
Confers upon the Administrator responsibility for transporting nuclear waste under this Act.
Establishes in the Treasury the Nuclear Waste Administration Working Capital Fund.
Amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to reflect the amendments made by this Act.
Authorizes the Administrator to proceed with siting and licensing consolidated storage facilities pursuant to a certain cooperative agreement entered into before the date of enactment of this Act.
Terminates those authorities of the Secretary regarding siting, construction, and operation of repositories, storage facilities, or test and evaluation facilities which were not transferred to the Administrator under this Act.
People & committees
Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · D–NM
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-598.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5874-5880)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5873-5874)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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