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program must meet all relevant radiological protection criteria as 

 well as all other applicable regulatory requirements. This effort 

 must proceed regardless of future developments within the nuclear 

 industry — its future size, and resolution of specific fuel cycle 

 and reactor design issues. The specific steps outlined below are 

 each aimed at accomplishing this overall objective. 



First, my Administration is committed to providing an effective 

 role for State and local governments in the development and imple- 

 mentation of our nuclear waste management program. I am therefore 

 taking the following actions: 



• By Executive Order, I am establishing a State Planning Council 

 which will strengthen our intergovernmental relationships and 

 help fulfill our joint responsibility to protect public health 

 and safety in radioactive waste matters. I have asked Governor 

 Riley of South Carolina to serve as Chairman of the Council. 

 The Council will have a total of 19 members: 15 who are Gover- 

 nors or other elected officials, and 4 from the Executive 

 departments and agencies. It will advise the Executive 

 Branch and work with the Congress to address radioactive 

 waste management issues, such as planning and siting, con- 

 struction, and operation of facilities. I will submit legis- 

 lation during this session to make the Council permanent. 



• In the past. States have not played an adequate part in the 

 waste management planning process — for example, in the 

 evaluation and location of potential waste disposal sites. 

 The States need better access to information and expanded 

 opportunity to guide waste management planning. Our relation- 

 ship with the States will be based on the principle of con- 

 sultation and concurrence in the siting of high level waste 

 repositories. Under the framework of consultation and con- 

 currence, a host State will have a continuing role in Federal 

 decisionmaking on the siting, design and construction of a 

 high level waste repository. State consultation and con- 

 currence, however, will lead to an acceptable solution to 



our waste disposal problem only if all the States participate 

 as partners in the program I am putting forth. The safe 

 disposal of radioactive waste, defense and commercial, is a 

 national, not just a Federal, responsibility. 



• I am directing the Secretary of Energy to provide financial 

 and technical assistance to States and other jurisdictions 



to facilitate the full participation of State and local govern- 

 ment in review and licensing proceedings. 



