---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 10191"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "10191"
heading: "Purpose"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/10191"
units:
  - "Chapter 108 — Nuclear Waste Policy"
  - "Subchapter II — Research, Development, and Demonstration Regarding Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel"
---

# §10191. Purpose


It is the purpose of this subchapter—

- (1) to provide direction to the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) with respect to the [disposal](/usc/42/10101.md?p=9) of [high-level radioactive waste](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12) and [spent nuclear fuel](/usc/42/10101.md?p=23);
- (2) to authorize the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20), pursuant to this subchapter—
  - (A) to provide for the [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), operation, and maintenance of a deep geologic [test and evaluation facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=27); and
  - (B) to provide for a focused and integrated [high-level radioactive waste](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12) and [spent nuclear fuel](/usc/42/10101.md?p=23) research and development program, including the development of a [test and evaluation facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=27) to carry out research and provide an integrated demonstration of the technology for deep geologic [disposal](/usc/42/10101.md?p=9) of [high-level radioactive waste](/usc/42/10101.md?p=12), and the development of the facilities to demonstrate dry [storage](/usc/42/10101.md?p=25) of [spent nuclear fuel](/usc/42/10101.md?p=23); and
- (3) to provide for an improved cooperative role between the Federal Government and [States](/usc/42/10101.md?p=24), [affected Indian tribes](/usc/42/10101.md?p=2), and units of general local government in the siting of a [test and evaluation facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=27).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–425, title II, § 211, Jan. 7, 1983, 96 Stat. 2245.)