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Title 49 — Transportation

Chapter 51 — Transportation of Hazardous Material

§ 5105. Transporting certain highly radioactive material

Statutory text

(a)

Definitions.—

In this section, “high-level radioactive waste” and “spent nuclear fuel” have the same meanings given those terms in section 2 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (42 U.S.C. 10101).

(b)

Transportation Safety Study.—

In consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, potentially affected States and Indian tribes, representatives of the rail transportation industry, and shippers of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, the Secretary shall conduct a study comparing the safety of using trains operated only to transport high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel with the safety of using other methods of rail transportation for transporting that waste and fuel. The Secretary shall submit to Congress not later than , a report on the results of the study.

(c)

Safe Rail Transportation Regulations.—

Not later than , after considering the results of the study conducted under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall prescribe amendments to existing regulations that the Secretary considers appropriate to provide for the safe rail transportation of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, including trains operated only for transporting high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

(d)

Inspections of Motor Vehicles Transporting Certain Material.—

(1)

Not later than , the Secretary shall require by regulation that before each use of a motor vehicle to transport a highway-route-controlled quantity of radioactive material in commerce, the vehicle shall be inspected and certified as complying with this chapter and applicable United States motor carrier safety laws and regulations. The Secretary may require that the inspection be carried out by an authorized United States Government inspector or according to appropriate State procedures.

(2)

The Secretary may allow a person, transporting or causing to be transported a highway-route-controlled quantity of radioactive material, to inspect the motor vehicle used to transport the material and to certify that the vehicle complies with this chapter. The inspector qualification requirements the Secretary prescribes for an individual inspecting a motor vehicle apply to an individual conducting an inspection under this paragraph.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Pub. L. 103–272 § 1(d) · 108 Stat. 745

    Enacted · 49 U.S.C. § 5105

    Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(d), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 762

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(d), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 762

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (d) Title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding the following immediately after subtitle I:

  2. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety and Security Reauthorization Act of 2005

    Pub. L. 109–59 § 7126 · 119 Stat. 1144

    Substituted · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(b); 49 U.S.C. § 5105(c)

    Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” wherever appearing

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” wherever appearing.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    SEC. 7126. REFERENCES TO THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.   Chapter 51 is amended by striking “Secretary of Transportation” each place it appears (other than the second place it appears in section 5108(g)(2)(C) and in sections 5102(11), 5103(c), 5103a(c), 5115(a), 5115(c)(3), 5116(i), and 5120(a)) and inserting “Secretary”.

  3. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety and Security Reauthorization Act of 2005

    Pub. L. 109–59 § 7126 · 119 Stat. 1144

    1. Substituted · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(d)

      Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” in par. (2)

    2. Substituted · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(d)

      Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary may” for “Secretary of Transportation may” in par. (2)

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” in par. (1) and “Secretary may” for “Secretary of Transportation may” in par. (2).

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    SEC. 7126. REFERENCES TO THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.   Chapter 51 is amended by striking “Secretary of Transportation” each place it appears (other than the second place it appears in section 5108(g)(2)(C) and in sections 5102(11), 5103(c), 5103a(c), 5115(a), 5115(c)(3), 5116(i), and 5120(a)) and inserting “Secretary”.

  4. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety and Security Reauthorization Act of 2005

    Pub. L. 109–59 § 7107 · 119 Stat. 1144

    1. Redesignated · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(d)

      Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107, redesignated subsec. (e) as (d)

    2. Struck · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(d)

      Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107, struck out former subsec. (d) which related to a study to be conducted not later than Nov. 16, 1991, to decide which factors, if any, shippers and carriers should consider when selecting routes and modes that would enhance overall public safety related to the transportation of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel

    Target inherited from the preceding amendment note.

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107, redesignated subsec. (e) as (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which related to a study to be conducted not later than Nov. 16, 1991, to decide which factors, if any, shippers and carriers should consider when selecting routes and modes that would enhance overall public safety related to the transportation of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    SEC. 7107. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.   Section 5105 is amended— (1) by striking subsection (d); and (2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).

  5. Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety and Security Reauthorization Act of 2005

    Pub. L. 109–59 § 7107(2) · 119 Stat. 1144

    Redesignated · 49 U.S.C. § 5105(e)

    Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107(2), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d)

    Source evidence

    Code amendment note
    Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107(2), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d).

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    (2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).

7 of 7 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Notes

historicalAndRevision
Historical and Revision Notes
RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
5105(a)49 App.:1813(e).Jan. 3, 1975, Pub. L. 93–633, 88 Stat. 2156, § 116(e); added Oct. 24, 1992, Pub. L. 102–508, § 505(2), 106 Stat. 3311.
 49 App.:1813 (note).Nov. 16, 1990, Pub. L. 101–615, § 16(e), 104 Stat. 3263.
5105(b)49 App.:1813(a).Jan. 3, 1975, Pub. L. 93–633, 88 Stat. 2156, § 116(a)–(d); added Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–559, § 3, 98 Stat. 2907; restated Nov. 16, 1990, Pub. L. 101–615, § 15, 104 Stat. 3261; Oct. 24, 1992, Pub. L. 102–508, § 505(1), 106 Stat. 3311.
5105(c)49 App.:1813(b).
5105(d)49 App.:1813(c).
5105(e)49 App.:1813(d).

In subsection (a), section 16(e) of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–615, 104 Stat. 3263) is included to correct a mistake in the source provisions being restated. See section 16(a)(1) of the Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–615, 104 Stat. 3262), stating that the meanings of “high-level radioactive waste” and “spent nuclear fuel” are as defined in 49 App.:1813, as added by section 15 of the Act (104 Stat. 3261). See also Cong. Rec. S16863 (daily ed., ).

In subsection (b), the words “Secretary of Energy” are substituted for “Department of Energy” because of 42:7131.

In subsection (c), the word “regulations” is substituted for “rule” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code and because “rule” and “regulation” are synonymous.

In subsection (d), before clause (1), the words “In combination” are omitted as surplus.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2005—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7126, substituted “Secretary shall” for “Secretary of Transportation shall” in par. (1) and “Secretary may” for “Secretary of Transportation may” in par. (2).

Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107, redesignated subsec. (e) as (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which related to a study to be conducted not later than , to decide which factors, if any, shippers and carriers should consider when selecting routes and modes that would enhance overall public safety related to the transportation of high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–59, § 7107(2), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d).

Credits

1994–2005 · 2 acts
  1. 1994Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(d), , 108 Stat. 762
  2. 2005Pub. L. 109–59, title VII, §§ 7107, 7126, , 119 Stat. 1897, 1909.
Show as published

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(d), , 108 Stat. 762; Pub. L. 109–59, title VII, §§ 7107, 7126, , 119 Stat. 1897, 1909.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc49.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-05-04

USLM identifier /us/usc/t49/s5105