§ 5844. Office of Nuclear Safety and Safeguards

• (a) There is hereby established in the Commission an Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards under the direction of a Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, who shall be appointed by the Commission, who may report directly to the Commission as provided in section 5849 of this title , and who shall serve at the pleasure of and be removable by the Commission.
• (b) Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the Director of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards shall perform such functions as the Commission shall delegate including:
  • (1) Principal licensing and regulation involving all facilities and materials, licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended [ 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], associated with the processing, transport, and handling of nuclear materials, including the provision and maintenance of safeguards against threats, thefts, and sabotage of such licensed facilities, and materials.
  • (2) Review safety and safeguards of all such facilities and materials licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and such review shall include, but not be limited to—
    • (A) monitoring, testing, and recommending upgrading of internal accounting systems for special nuclear and other nuclear materials licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;
    • (B) developing, in consultation and coordination with the Administration, contingency plans for dealing with threats, thefts, and sabotage relating to special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities licensed under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended;
    • (C) assessing the need for, and the feasibility of, establishing a security agency within the office for the performance of the safeguards functions, and a report with recommendations on this matter shall be prepared within one year of the effective date of this chapter and promptly transmitted to the Congress by the Commission.
  • (3) Recommending research to enable the Commission to more effectively perform its functions.
• (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit in any way the functions of the Administration relating to the safeguarding of special nuclear materials, high-level radioactive wastes and nuclear facilities resulting from all activities within the jurisdiction of the Administration pursuant to this chapter.