--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 10173a" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "10173a" heading: "Content of agreements" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/10173a" units: - "Chapter 108 — Nuclear Waste Policy" - "Subchapter I — Disposal and Storage of High-Level Radioactive Waste, Spent Nuclear Fuel, and Low-Level Radioactive Waste" - "Part F — Benefits" --- # §10173a. Content of agreements - (a) **In general—** - (1) In addition to the benefits to which a [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24), an [affected unit of local government](/usc/42/10101.md?p=31) or [Indian tribe](/usc/42/10101.md?p=15) is entitled under this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) shall make payments to a [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) or [Indian tribe](/usc/42/10101.md?p=15) that is a party to a benefits agreement under [section 10173 of this title](/usc/42/10173.md) in accordance with the following schedule: | BENEFITS SCHEDULE | | | | --- | --- | --- | | (amounts in $ millions) | | | | Event | MRS | [Repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) | | (A) Annual payments prior to first spent fuel receipt | 5 | 10 | | (B) Upon first spent fuel receipt | 10 | 20 | | (C) Annual payments after first spent fuel receipt until closure of the facility | 10 | 20 | - (2) For purposes of this section, the term— - (A) “MRS” means a [monitored retrievable storage facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=34), - (B) “spent fuel” means [high-level radioactive waste](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12) or [spent nuclear fuel](/usc/42/10101.md?p=23), and - (C) “first spent fuel receipt” does not include receipt of spent fuel or [high-level radioactive waste](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12) for purposes of testing or operational demonstration. - (3) Annual payments prior to first spent fuel receipt under paragraph (1)(A) shall be made on the date of execution of the benefits agreement and thereafter on the anniversary date of such execution. Annual payments after the first spent fuel receipt until closure of the facility under paragraph (1)(C) shall be made on the anniversary date of such first spent fuel receipt. - (4) If the first spent fuel payment under paragraph (1)(B) is made within six months after the last annual payment prior to the receipt of spent fuel under paragraph (1)(A), such first spent fuel payment under paragraph (1)(B) shall be reduced by an amount equal to one-twelfth of such annual payment under paragraph (1)(A) for each full month less than six that has not elapsed since the last annual payment under paragraph (1)(A). - (5) Notwithstanding paragraph [(1)](#a-1), [(2)](#a-2), or [(3)](#a-3), no payment under this section may be made before January 1, 1989, and any payment due under this subchapter before January 1, 1989, shall be made on or after such date. - (6) Except as provided in [paragraph (7)](#a-7), the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) may not restrict the purposes for which the payments under this section may be used. - (7) - (A) Any [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) receiving a payment under this section shall transfer an amount equal to not less than one-third of the amount of such payment to affected units of local government of such [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24). - (B) A plan for this transfer and appropriate [allocation](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=2) of such portion among such governments shall be included in the benefits agreement under [section 10173 of this title](/usc/42/10173.md) covering such payments. - (C) In the event of a dispute concerning such plan, the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) shall resolve such dispute, consistent with this chapter and applicable [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) law. - (b) **Contents—** A benefits agreement under [section 10173 of this title](/usc/42/10173.md) shall provide that— - (1) a Review Panel be established in accordance with [section 10173b of this title](/usc/42/10173b.md); - (2) the [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) or [Indian tribe](/usc/42/10101.md?p=15) that is party to such agreement waive its rights under this subchapter to disapprove the recommendation of a site for a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18); - (3) the parties to the agreement shall share with one another information relevant to the licensing process for the [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) or [monitored retrievable storage facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=34), as it becomes available; - (4) the [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) or [Indian tribe](/usc/42/10101.md?p=15) that is party to such agreement participate in the design of the [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) or [monitored retrievable storage facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=34) and in the preparation of documents required under law or regulation governing the effects of the facility on the public health and safety; and - (5) the [State](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) or [Indian tribe](/usc/42/10101.md?p=15) waive its rights, if any, to impact assistance under sections [10136(c)(1)(B)(ii)](/usc/42/10136.md?p=c-1-B-ii), [10136(c)(2)](/usc/42/10136.md?p=c-2), [10138(b)(2)(A)(ii)](/usc/42/10138.md?p=b-2-A-ii), and [10138(b)(3)](/usc/42/10138.md?p=b-3) of this title. - (c) **Payments by Secretary—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) shall make payments to the [States](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24) or [affected Indian tribes](/usc/42/10101.md?p=2) under a benefits agreement under this section from the [Waste Fund](/usc/42/10101.md?p=29). The signature of the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) on a valid benefits agreement under [section 10173 of this title](/usc/42/10173.md) shall constitute a commitment by the United States to make payments in accordance with such agreement. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 97–425, title I, § 171, as added Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(d) [title III, § 300], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329–121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5031, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–237.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Codification Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.