42 U.S.C. § 2297g–2: Department facilities

(a) Study by National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences shall conduct a study and provide recommendations for reducing costs associated with decontamination and decommissioning, and shall report its findings to the Congress within 3 years after October 24, 1992. Such report shall include a determination of the decontamination and decommissioning required for each facility, shall identify alternative methods, using different technologies, shall include site-specific surveys of the actual contamination, and shall provide estimated costs of those activities. (b) Payment of decontamination and decommissioning costsThe costs of all decontamination and decommissioning activities of the Department shall be paid from the Fund until such time as the Secretary certifies and the Congress concurs, by law, that such activities are complete. (c) Payment of remedial action costsThe annual cost of remedial action at the Department’s gaseous diffusion facilities shall be paid from the Fund to the extent the amount available in the Fund is sufficient. To the extent the amount in the Fund is insufficient, the Department shall be responsible for the cost of remedial action. No provision of this division may be construed to relieve in any way the responsibility or liability of the Department for remedial action under applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.