HB 18-1215

House Bill 18-1215, also known as the Safe Disposal of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced NORM (TENORM), allows Colorado's state board of health to create rules for disposing of these materials without waiting for federal guidelines. The bill requires the Department of Public Health and Environment to work with stakeholders, gather reports from waste generators, and submit a report to lawmakers. It also allocates $16.5 million in funding to implement these new regulations. Since it has been signed into law, Colorado can now establish its own rules for safely disposing of radioactive materials generated by both natural processes and human activities.

Official Summary

Current law allows the state board of health to adopt rules concerning the disposal of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) only after the federal environmental protection agency (EPA) has adopted rules concerning the disposal of NORM. The EPA has not adopted the rules. The bill: Requires the state board to adopt rules for the disposal of NORM and technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM); and While the state board is conducting its rule-making investigation, requires: The department of public health and environment (department) to convene a stakeholder group; Generators of NORM and TENORM waste to report to the department; The department to contract for the creation of a report; The department to submit the report to the general assembly; The department to propose draft rules; and Generators of NORM and TENORM waste to comply with guidance and letters issued by the department and its solid waste management program. The bill appropriates $16,596,405 from the general fund to the department for use by the hazardous materials and waste management division to implement the act. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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