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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 336RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCE RULES
SUBCHAPTER AGENERAL PROVISIONS
RULE §336.1Scope and General Provisions

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided, the rules in this chapter apply to all persons who dispose of radioactive substances; all persons who recover or process source material; and all persons who receive radioactive substances from other persons for storage or processing.

  (1) However, nothing in these rules shall apply to any person to the extent that person is subject to regulation by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or to radioactive material in the possession of federal agencies.

  (2) Any United States Department of Energy contractor or subcontractor or any NRC contractor or subcontractor of the following categories operating within the state, is exempt from the rules in this chapter, with the exception of any applicable fee set forth in Subchapter B of this chapter (relating to Radioactive Substance Fees), to the extent that such contractor or subcontractor under his contract receives, possesses, uses, transfers, or acquires sources of radiation:

    (A) prime contractors performing work for the United States Department of Energy at a United States government-owned or controlled site, including the transportation of radioactive material to or from the site and the performance of contract services during temporary interruptions of transportation;

    (B) prime contractors of the United States Department of Energy performing research in or development, manufacture, storage, testing, or transportation of atomic weapons or components thereof;

    (C) prime contractors of the United States Department of Energy using or operating nuclear reactors or other nuclear devices in a United States government-owned vehicle or vessel; and

    (D) any other prime contractor or subcontractor of the United States Department of Energy or the NRC when the state and the NRC jointly determine that:

      (i) the exemption of the prime contractor or subcontractor is authorized by law; and

      (ii) under the terms of the contract or subcontract, there is adequate assurance that the work thereunder can be accomplished without undue risk to the public health and safety or the environment.

  (3) Radioactive material that is physically received from the federal government by a non-federal facility is subject to state jurisdiction except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection.

  (4) The rules of this chapter do not apply to transportation of radioactive materials. This provision does not exempt a transporter from other applicable requirements.

  (5) The rules in this chapter do not apply to the disposal of radiation machines as defined in this subchapter or electronic devices that produce non-ionizing radiation.

(b) Regulation by the State of Texas of source material, by-product material, and special nuclear material in quantities not sufficient to form a critical mass is subject to the provisions of the agreement between the State of Texas and the NRC and to 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 150 (10 CFR Part 150) (Exemptions and Continued Regulatory Authority in Agreement States and in Offshore Waters Under Section 274). (A copy of the Texas agreement, "Articles of Agreement between the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of Texas for Discontinuance of Certain Commission Regulatory Authority and Responsibility Within the State Pursuant to Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended" (Agreement), may be obtained from this commission.) Under the Agreement and 10 CFR Part 150, the NRC retains certain regulatory authorities over source material, by-product material, and special nuclear material in the State of Texas. Persons in the State of Texas are not exempt from the regulatory requirements of the NRC with respect to these retained authorities.

(c) No person may receive, possess, use, transfer, or dispose of radioactive material, which is subject to the rules in this chapter, in such a manner that the standards for protection against radiation prescribed in these rules are exceeded.

(d) Each person licensed by the commission under this chapter shall confine possession, use, and disposal of licensed radioactive material to the locations and purposes authorized in the license.

(e) No person may cause or allow the release of radioactive material, which is subject to the rules in this chapter, to the environment in violation of this chapter or of any rule, license, or order of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (commission).

(f) No person shall:

  (1) dispose of low-level radioactive waste on site, except as authorized under §336.501(b) of this title (relating to Scope and General Provisions);

  (2) receive low-level radioactive waste from other persons for the purpose of disposal, except for a person specifically licensed for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste;

  (3) dispose of radioactive materials other than low-level radioactive waste, except for diffuse naturally occurring radioactive material waste having concentrations of less than 2,000 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) radium-226 or radium-228;

  (4) dispose of radioactive materials from other persons other than low-level radioactive waste, except for naturally occurring radioactive material waste in accordance with Subchapter K of this chapter (relating to Commercial Disposal of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Waste from Public Water Systems);

  (5) recover or process source material, except in accordance with Subchapter L of this chapter (relating to Licensing of Source Material Recovery and By-Product Material Disposal Facilities);

  (6) store, process, or dispose of by-product material, except in accordance with Subchapter L of this chapter; or

  (7) receive radioactive substances from other persons for storage or processing, except in accordance with Subchapter M of this chapter (relating to Licensing of Radioactive Substances Processing and Storage Facilities).


Source Note: The provisions of this §336.1 adopted to be effective June 5, 1997, 22 TexReg 4588; amended to be effective September 3, 1998, 23 TexReg 8837; amended to be effective September 14, 2000, 25 TexReg 8989; amended to be effective January 8, 2004, 29 TexReg 150; amended to be effective July 21, 2005, 30 TexReg 4127; amended to be effective February 28, 2008, 33 TexReg 1570; amended to be effective March 12, 2009, 34 TexReg 1688; amended to be effective February 2, 2012, 37 TexReg 335

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