577 



13 - 



made to develop a subseabed repository, changes in existing 

 treaties and federal laws would be required before a subseabed 

 repository could be developed. 



National Context 



Two U.S. laws have major applications to subseabed disposal. 

 The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) 

 (PL 97-425) provides a legislative mandate for 

 continuing research into alternative methods for 

 disposal of HLW. 



The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act 

 (MPRSA) (PL-92-532), known as the Ocean Dumping Act, 

 prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

 from issuing permits for ocean dumping of HLW. 



The explicit prohibition in the Ocean Dumping Act against 

 issuing permits for ocean dumping of high-level radioactive 

 waste resembles prohibitions found in the London Dumping 

 Convention although they are not identical in all regards. It 

 is reasonable to assume that, if the concept proves feasible, 

 any U.S. efforts to develop a subseabed repository will require 

 Congressional action. 



