§5844. Office of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards

(a) Establishment; appointment of Director

There is hereby established in the Commission an Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards under the direction of a Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, who shall be appointed by the Commission, who may report directly to the Commission as provided in section 5849 of this title, and who shall serve at the pleasure of and be removable by the Commission.

(b) Functions of Director

Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards shall perform such functions as the Commission shall delegate including:

(1) Principal licensing and regulation involving all facilities and materials, licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], associated with the processing, transport, and handling of nuclear materials, including the provision and maintenance of safeguards against threats, thefts, and sabotage of such licensed facilities, and materials.

(2) Review safety and safeguards of all such facilities and materials licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and such review shall include, but not be limited to-

(A) monitoring, testing, and recommending upgrading of internal accounting systems for special nuclear and other nuclear materials licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;

(B) developing, in consultation and coordination with the Administration, contingency plans for dealing with threats, thefts, and sabotage relating to special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;

(C) assessing the need for, and the feasibility of, establishing a security agency within the office for the performance of the safeguards functions, and a report with recommendations on this matter shall be prepared within one year of the effective date of this chapter and promptly transmitted to the Congress by the Commission.

(3) Recommending research to enable the Commission to more effectively perform its functions.

(c) Responsibility for safeguarding special nuclear materials; high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit in any way the functions of the Administration relating to the safeguarding of special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities within the jurisdiction of the Administration pursuant to this chapter.

( Pub. L. 93–438, title II, §204, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1245 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 93–438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233 , known as the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), (2), is act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, §1, 68 Stat. 919 , which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§2011 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

The effective date of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(C), refers to the effective date of Pub. L. 93–438. See section 312 of Pub. L. 93–438, set out as an Effective Date; Interim Provisions note under section 5801 of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of certain functions from Nuclear Regulatory Commission to Chairman thereof, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1980, 45 F.R. 40561, 94 Stat. 3585, set out as a note under section 5841 of this title.