---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 10247"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "10247"
heading: "Environmental impact statement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/10247"
units:
  - "Chapter 108 — Nuclear Waste Policy"
  - "Subchapter IV — Nuclear Waste Negotiator"
---

# §10247. Environmental impact statement

- (a) **In general—** Issuance of a [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) authorization for a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) or [monitored retrievable storage facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=34) under [section 10245(b) of this title](/usc/42/10245.md?p=b) shall be considered a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment for purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ([42 U.S.C. 4321](/usc/42/4321.md) et seq.).
- (b) **Preparation—** A final environmental impact statement shall be prepared by the [Secretary](/usc/42/10101.md?p=20) under such Act and shall accompany any application to the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/10101.md?p=7) for a [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) authorization.
- (c) **Adoption—**
  - (1) Any such environmental impact statement shall, to the extent practicable, be adopted by the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/10101.md?p=7), in accordance with section 1506.3 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, in connection with the issuance by the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/10101.md?p=7) of a [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) authorization and license for such [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) or [monitored retrievable storage facility](/usc/42/10101.md?p=34).
  - (2)
    - (A) In any such statement prepared with respect to a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) to be constructed under this subchapter at the [Yucca Mountain site](/usc/42/10101.md?p=30), the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/10101.md?p=7) need not consider the need for a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18), the time of initial availability of a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18), alternate sites to the [Yucca Mountain site](/usc/42/10101.md?p=30), or nongeologic alternatives to such site.
    - (B) In any such statement prepared with respect to a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18) to be constructed under this subchapter at a site other than the [Yucca Mountain site](/usc/42/10101.md?p=30), the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/10101.md?p=7) need not consider the need for a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18), the time of initial availability of a [repository](/usc/42/10101.md?p=18), or nongeologic alternatives to such site but shall consider the [Yucca Mountain site](/usc/42/10101.md?p=30) as an alternate to such site in the preparation of such statement.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–425, title IV, § 407, as added Pub. L. 100–202, § 101(d) [title III], Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1329–104, 1329–121; Pub. L. 100–203, title V, § 5041, Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–246.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is Pub. L. 91–190, Jan. 1, 1970, 83 Stat. 852, which is classified generally to chapter 55 (§ 4321 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4321 of this title and Tables.

### Codification

Pub. L. 100–202 and Pub. L. 100–203 added identical sections.