The Secretary of Energy shall accelerate the schedule for defense environmental cleanup activities and projects for a site at a Department of Energy defense nuclear facility if the Secretary determines that such an accelerated schedule will achieve meaningful, long-term cost savings to the Federal Government and could substantially accelerate the release of land for local reuse.
In making a determination under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider the following:
(1) The cost savings achievable by the Federal Government.
(2) The potential for reuse of the site.
(3) The risks that the site poses to local health and safety.
(4) The proximity of the site to populated areas.
Nothing in this section may be construed to affect a specific statutory requirement for a specific defense environmental cleanup activity or project or to modify or otherwise affect applicable statutory or regulatory defense environmental cleanup requirements, including substantive standards intended to protect public health and the environment.
(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLIV, § 4405, formerly Pub. L. 104–106, div. C, title XXXI, § 3156, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 625; renumbered Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLIV, § 4405, and amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3141(g)(6), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1765; Pub. L. 113–66, div. C, title XXXI, § 3146(e)(6), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1076.)