---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7912"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7912"
heading: "Processing site designations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7912"
units:
  - "Chapter 88 — Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control"
  - "Subchapter I — Remedial Action Program"
---

# §7912. Processing site designations

- (a) **Specific and other site locations; remedial action; consultations; boundaries; Grand Junction, Colorado, site restriction—**
  - (1) As soon as practicable, but no later than one year after November 8, 1978, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall designate [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) at or near the following locations:

    Salt Lake City, Utah

    Green River, Utah

    Mexican Hat, Utah

    Durango, Colorado

    Grand Junction, Colorado

    Rifle, Colorado (two sites)

    Gunnison, Colorado

    Naturita, Colorado

    Maybell, Colorado

    Slick Rock, Colorado (two sites)

    Shiprock, New Mexico

    Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico

    Riverton, Wyoming

    Converse County, Wyoming

    Lakeview, Oregon

    Falls City, Texas

    Tuba City, Arizona

    Monument Valley, Arizona

    Lowman, Idaho

    Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania

    Subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall complete remedial action at the above listed sites before his authority terminates under this subchapter. The [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall within one year of November 8, 1978, also designate all other [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) within the [United States](/usc/42/7911.md?p=10) which he determines requires remedial action to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. In making such designation, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall consult with the [Administrator](/usc/42/7911.md?p=3), the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2), and the affected [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), and in the case of Indian lands, the appropriate [Indian tribe](/usc/42/7911.md?p=4) and the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) of the Interior.

  - (2) As part of his designation under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1), in consultation with the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2), shall determine the boundaries of each such site.
  - (3) No site or structure with respect to which remedial action is authorized under Public Law 92–314 in Grand Junction, Colorado, may be designated by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) as a [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) under this section.
- (b) **Health hazard assessment; priorities for remedial action—** Within one year from November 8, 1978, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall assess the potential health hazard to the public from the [residual radioactive materials](/usc/42/7911.md?p=7) at designated [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6). Based upon such assessment, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall, within such one year period, establish priorities for carrying out remedial action at each such site. In establishing such priorities, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall rely primarily on the advice of the [Administrator](/usc/42/7911.md?p=3).
- (c) **Notification—** Within thirty days after making designations of [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) and establishing the priorities for such sites under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall notify the Governor of each affected [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), and, where appropriate, the [Indian tribes](/usc/42/7911.md?p=4) and the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) of the Interior.
- (d) **Finality of determinations—** The designations made, and priorities established, by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) under this section shall be final and not be subject to judicial review.
- (e) **Certain real property or improved areas—**
  - (1) The designation of [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) within one year after November 8, 1978, under this section shall include, to the maximum extent practicable, the areas referred to in [section 7911(6)(B) of this title](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6-B).
  - (2) Notwithstanding the one year limitation contained in this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) may, after such one year period, include any area described in [section 7911(6)(B) of this title](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6-B) as part of a [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) designated under this section if he determines such inclusion to be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall designate as a [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) within the meaning of [section 7911(6) of this title](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) any real property, or improvements thereon, in Edgemont, South Dakota, that—
    - (A) is in the vicinity of the Tennessee Valley Authority uranium mill site at Edgemont (but not including such site), and
    - (B) is determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) to be contaminated with [residual radioactive materials](/usc/42/7911.md?p=7).

    In making the designation under this paragraph, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall consult with the [Administrator](/usc/42/7911.md?p=3), the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2) and the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) of South Dakota. The provisions of this subchapter shall apply to the site so designated in the same manner and to the same extent as to the sites designated under [subsection (a)](#a) except that, in applying such provisions to such site, any reference in this subchapter to November 8, 1978, shall be treated as a reference to January 4, 1983, and in determining the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) share under [section 7917 of this title](/usc/42/7917.md) of the costs of remedial action, there shall be credited to the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), expenditures made by the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) prior to January 4, 1983, which the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) determines would have been made by the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or the [United States](/usc/42/7911.md?p=10) in carrying out the requirements of this subchapter.

- (f) **Designation of Moab Site as processing site—**
  - (1) **Designation—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Moab uranium milling site (referred to in this subsection as the “Moab site”) located approximately three miles northwest of Moab, Utah, and identified in the Final Environmental Impact Statement issued by the Nuclear Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2) in March 1996 in conjunction with Source Materials License No. SUA–917, is designated as a [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6).
  - (2) **Applicability—** This subchapter applies to the Moab site in the same manner and to the same extent as to other [processing sites](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) designated under [subsection (a)](#a), except that—
    - (A) sections [7913](/usc/42/7913.md), [7914(b)](/usc/42/7914.md?p=b), [7917(a)](/usc/42/7917.md?p=a), [7922(a)](/usc/42/7922.md?p=a), and [7925(a)](/usc/42/7925.md?p=a) of this title shall not apply; and
    - (B) a reference in this subchapter to November 8, 1978, shall be treated as a reference to October 30, 2000.
  - (3) **Remediation—** Subject to the availability of appropriations for this purpose, the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall conduct remediation at the Moab site in a safe and environmentally sound manner that takes into consideration the remedial action plan prepared pursuant to section 3405(i) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 ([10 U.S.C. 8720](/usc/10/8720.md) note; Public Law 105–261), including—
    - (A) ground water restoration; and
    - (B) the removal, to a site in the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) of Utah, for permanent disposition and any necessary stabilization, of [residual radioactive material](/usc/42/7911.md?p=7) and other contaminated material from the Moab site and the floodplain of the Colorado River.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–604, title I, § 102, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3023; Pub. L. 97–415, § 21, Jan. 4, 1983, 96 Stat. 2079; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [div. C, title XXXIV, § 3403(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–489; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 809(n)(4), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1844.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Remedial action authorized under Public Law 92–314, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), means the remedial action authorized by title II of Pub. L. 92–314, June 16, 1972, 86 Stat. 222, which is not classified to the Code.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “(10 U.S.C. 8720 note; Public Law 105–261)” for “(10 U.S.C. 7420 note; Public Law 105–261)” in introductory provisions.

2000—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–398 added subsec. (f).

1983—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 97–415 added par. (3).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of Title 10, Armed Forces.