§ 23-19.9-8. Conditions of membership. (a) The states initially eligible to become parties to this compact shall include Rhode Island. Initial eligibility shall expire December 31, 1986.

(b) Each state eligible to become a party state to this compact shall be a party state upon enactment of this compact into law by that state, and upon payment of the fees required by § 23-19.9-10. An eligible state may become a party to this compact by an executive order issued by the governor of the state and upon payment of the fees required by § 23-19.9-10. However, any state which becomes a party state by executive order shall cease to be a party state upon the final adjournment of the next general or regular session of its legislature, unless this compact has by then been enacted as a statute by that state.

(c) This compact shall become effective in a party state when it has been enacted by that state and consent has been given to this compact by the Congress.

(d) The first two (2) states to become party states to this compact shall immediately appoint Commission members who shall constitute the Rhode Island - Massachusetts Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission in accordance with § 23-19.9-5. These party states shall cause legislation to be introduced in the Congress whereby the consent of the Congress to this compact will be granted, and shall do those things necessary to organize the Commission and implement the provisions of this compact.

(e) Any state not expressly declared eligible to become a party state to this compact in subsection (a) of this section may petition the Commission to be declared eligible. The Commission may by rule establish conditions that it deems necessary and appropriate to be met by a state requesting eligibility as a party state to this compact pursuant to the provisions of this section and shall conduct an adjudicatory proceeding on the application. Upon satisfying the conditions established by the Commission and upon the affirmative vote of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the eligible votes of Commission members and the affirmative vote of the members representing the host states in which any affected regional facility is located, the petitioning state shall become eligible to become a party state to this compact and may become a party state in the same manner as those states declared eligible in subsection (a) of this section.

(f) No state holding membership in any other regional compact for the management of low-level waste may become a party state to this compact.

(g) Any party state which fails to comply with the provisions of this compact or to fulfill its obligations may, upon the vote of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the eligible votes of Commission members, in an adjudicatory proceeding, have fines imposed, have its access conditioned, its privileges suspended or its status as a party state to this compact revoked. Any revocation of a party state's status shall take effect one year from the date on which the state receives written notice from the Commission of that action. The rights of access to regional facilities enjoyed by generators in the affected party state shall cease upon the effective date of the revocation. No legal obligations of that party state, arising prior to the revocation, shall cease until they have been fulfilled. As soon as practicable after a Commission action suspending or revoking party state status, the Commission shall provide written notice of the action and a copy of the resolution to the governor and the presiding officer of each house of the legislature of each party state, and the Congress.

(h) Any party state may withdraw from this compact by repealing its authorizing legislation, and the rights of access to regional facilities enjoyed by generators in that party state shall thereby terminate. However, no withdrawal shall take effect until five (5) years after the governor of the withdrawing state has given notice, in writing, of that withdrawal to the Commission and to the governor of each party state. No withdrawal shall affect any liability already incurred by, or chargeable to, a party state prior to that time.

(1) Upon receipt of the notification, the Commission shall, as soon as practicable, provide copies to the governor and the presiding officer of each house of the legislature of each party state, and to the Congress.

(2) A regional facility located in a withdrawing state shall remain available to the region for five (5) years after the date the Commission receives written notification of the state's intent to withdraw, or until the prescheduled date of closure, whichever occurs first.

(i) This compact may be terminated only by the affirmative compact in each party state. The Congress may by law withdraw its consent every five (5) years after the compact takes effect.

(1) The consent given to this compact by the Congress shall extend to any future admittance of new party states under subsection (b) of this Article.

(2) The withdrawal of a party state from this compact under subsection (h) or the revocation of party state status under subsection (g) of this Article shall not affect the applicability of the compact to the remaining party states.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 300, § 1.)