Who We Are

Background

What We Do

Watershed Approach

Statutory and Regulatory Framework

Structure

Federal Statutes

The following federal statutes affect the conduct of LANL's Remediation Services project:

• American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978. Establishes a policy to protect and preserve Native Americans' inherent right to exercise their traditional religions.
• Atomic Energy Act of 1948, as amended in 1954 and later years, authorizes energy research and development.
• Clean Air Act of 1970, as amended. Requires that emissions (from a facility) that could affect air quality must meet the performance standards established in this act.
• Clean Water Act of 1972, as amended. Seeks to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters. The Clean Water Act regulates waste discharges to navigable waters and sets pretreatment standards for contaminant discharges to sewer lines that lead to publicly owned treatment works.
• DOE Organization Act of 1977. Makes DOE responsible for ensuring that national environmental protection goals are incorporated into energy programs; advancing the goals of restoration, protection, and enhancement of environmental quality; and ensuring public health and safety.
• Department of Transportation Act of 1966. Defines the US Department of Transportation's regulatory responsibility for safety in the transportation of all hazardous materials, including radioactive materials.
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986. Created an emergency management task force to develop and distribute to emergency response personnel a comprehensive plan for assessing and managing hazardous materials spills. This plan stipulates the requirements for reporting spills and performing cleanup activities.
• Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Requires federal agencies, in consultation with and with the assistance of the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce, to ensure that their actions are "not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of the critical habitat of such species..."
• Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992. Amended RCRA to make federal facilities subject to enforcement actions, including fines and penalties, to the same extent as any private entity.
• Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934. Ensures that fish and wildlife resources receive consideration equal to that given other values during the planning phases of projects that affect water resources. Final regulations, proposed in 1979 and 1980 but withdrawn in 1982, have not been promulgated. Meanwhile, guidance for implementing the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act is based on court rulings and past DOE experience.
• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their proposed actions on properties listed on, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places.
• Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Provides for the general welfare by ensuring that, so far as possible, working conditions are safe and healthful for everyone.
• Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended. Defines safety standards for public drinking water systems. The maximum contaminant levels developed under the Safe Drinking Water Act are the levels with which drinking water must comply.
• Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, as amended. Ensures that technological innovation and commerce in chemical substances and mixtures do not present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment and provides for the identification of toxic hazards from chemical substances. This statute regulates the use, storage, disposal, and cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls.
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. Addresses the release of hazardous substances into the environment. Section 120(h) specifies requirements for transferring ownership of potentially or previously contaminated property at federal facilities.

Statutory and Regulatory Framework