Standards and criteria for licensing low-level radioactive waste facilities shall be developed by the Commission.  Such standards and criteria shall be developed with public participation and shall be incorporated into rules adopted by the Commission for the licensing of such facilities.  Standards and criteria shall be consistent with all applicable federal and State law, including statutes, regulations and rules; shall be developed and revised in light of the best available scientific data; and shall be based on consideration of at least the following factors:

(1) Hydrological and geological factors, including flood plains, depth to water table, groundwater travel time, soil pH, soil cation exchange capacity, soil composition and permeability, cavernous bedrock, seismic activity, slope, mines, climate and earthquake faults;

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 104E-26

  • Commission: means the Radiation Protection Commission. See North Carolina General Statutes 104E-5
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Low-level radioactive waste: means low-level radioactive waste as defined in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, Pub. See North Carolina General Statutes 104E-5
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3

(2) Environmental and public health  factors, including air quality, quality of surface and groundwater, and proximity to public water supply watersheds;

(3) Natural and cultural resources, including wetlands, gamelands, endangered species habitats, proximity to parks, forests, wilderness areas, nature preserves, and historic sites;

(4) Local land uses;

(5) Transportation factors, including proximity to waste generators, route safety, and method of transportation;

(6) Aesthetic factors, including the visibility, appearance, and noise level of the facility. (1987, c. 850, s. 15.)