---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 6204"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "6204"
heading: "Notification regarding air release of radioactive or hazardous material"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/6204"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part VI — Elements of Department of Defense and Other Matters"
  - "Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense"
  - "Chapter 604 — Defense Environmental Cleanup Matters"
  - "Subchapter III — Hanford Reservation, Washington"
---

# §6204. Notification regarding air release of radioactive or hazardous material


If the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Energy (or a designee of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)) is notified of an improper [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) into the air of radioactive or hazardous material above applicable statutory or regulatory limits that resulted from waste generated by atomic energy defense activities at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Richland, Washington, the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) (or designee of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3)) shall—

- (1) not later than two business days after being notified of the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), notify the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) of the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2); and
- (2) not later than seven business days after being notified of the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), provide the [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16) a briefing on the status of the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), including—
  - (A) the cause of the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), if known; and
  - (B) preliminary plans to address and remediate the [release](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), including associated costs and timelines.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1400.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2627 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).