--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7913" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "7913" heading: "State cooperative agreements" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7913" units: - "Chapter 88 — Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control" - "Subchapter I — Remedial Action Program" --- # §7913. State cooperative agreements - (a) **Authority of Secretary; prompt commencement of preparations—** After notifying a [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) of the designation referred to in [section 7912 of this title](/usc/42/7912.md), the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) subject to [section 7923 of this title](/usc/42/7923.md), is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with such [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) to perform remedial actions at each designated [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) in such [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) (other than a site located on Indian lands referred to in [section 7915 of this title](/usc/42/7915.md)). The [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall, to the greatest extent practicable, enter into such agreements and carry out such remedial actions in accordance with the priorities established by him under [section 7912 of this title](/usc/42/7912.md). The [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) shall commence preparations for cooperative agreements with respect to each designated [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) as promptly as practicable following the designation of each site. - (b) **Terms and conditions; limitation of Federal assistance—** Each cooperative agreement under this section shall contain such terms and conditions as the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) deems appropriate and consistent with the purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, a limitation on the use of Federal assistance to those costs which are directly required to complete the remedial action selected pursuant to [section 7918 of this title](/usc/42/7918.md). - (c) **Written consent of record interest holder; waiver—** - (1) Except where the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) is required to acquire the [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) as provided in subsection (a) of [section 7914 of this title](/usc/42/7914.md), each cooperative agreement with a [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) under this section shall provide that the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) shall obtain, in a form prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1), written consent from any [person](/usc/42/7911.md?p=5) holding any record interest in the designated [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) for the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) or any [person](/usc/42/7911.md?p=5) designated by him to perform remedial action at such site. - (2) Such written consent shall include a waiver by each such [person](/usc/42/7911.md?p=5) on behalf of himself, his heirs, successors, and assigns— - (A) releasing the [United States](/usc/42/7911.md?p=10) of any liability or claim thereof by such [person](/usc/42/7911.md?p=5), his heirs, successors, and assigns concerning such remedial action, and - (B) holding the [United States](/usc/42/7911.md?p=10) harmless against any claim by such [person](/usc/42/7911.md?p=5) on behalf of himself, his heirs, successors, or assigns arising out of the performance of any such remedial action. - (d) **Inspection entries; termination of right of entry—** Each cooperative agreement under this section shall require the [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) to assure that the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1), the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2), and the [Administrator](/usc/42/7911.md?p=3) and their authorized representatives have a permanent right of entry at any time to inspect the [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) and the site provided pursuant to [section 7914(b)(1) of this title](/usc/42/7914.md?p=b-1) in furtherance of the provisions of this subchapter and to carry out such agreement and enforce this chapter and any rules prescribed under this chapter. Such right of entry under this section or [section 7916 of this title](/usc/42/7916.md) into an area described in [section 7911(6)(B) of this title](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6-B) shall terminate on completion of the remedial action, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1). - (e) **Effective date—** Each agreement under this section shall take effect only upon the concurrence of the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2) with the terms and conditions thereof. - (f) **Reimbursement—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) may, in any cooperative agreement entered into under this section or [section 7915 of this title](/usc/42/7915.md), provide for reimbursement of the actual costs, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1), of any remedial action performed with respect to so much of a designated [processing site](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6) as is described in [section 7911(6)(B) of this title](/usc/42/7911.md?p=6-B). Such reimbursement shall be made only to a property [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) of record at the time such remedial action was undertaken and only with respect to costs incurred by such property [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4). No such reimbursement may be made unless— - (1) such remedial action was completed prior to November 8, 1978, and unless the application for such reimbursement was filed by such [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) within one year after an agreement under this section or [section 7915 of this title](/usc/42/7915.md) is approved by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) and the [Commission](/usc/42/7911.md?p=2), and - (2) the [Secretary](/usc/42/7911.md?p=1) is satisfied that such action adequately achieves the purposes of this chapter with respect to the site concerned and is consistent with the standards established by the [Administrator](/usc/42/7911.md?p=3) pursuant to [section 2022(a) of this title](/usc/42/2022.md?p=a). ## Source credit (Pub. L. 95–604, title I, § 103, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3024.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b), (d), and (f)(2), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 95–604, Nov. 8, 1978, 92 Stat. 3021, known as the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note under section 7901 of this title and Tables.