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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Fifty years ago this year, the State of Texas |
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entered into an agreement with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to |
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assume regulatory and licensing authority over certain radioactive |
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materials in the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, On January 10, 1963, Governor Price Daniel agreed to |
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have Texas take responsibility for the oversight of radioactive |
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materials in the state, with the exception of special nuclear |
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material in excess of a critical mass and radioactive material that |
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was used by federal agencies; the agreement went into effect on |
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March 1, 1963, making Texas the fifth state to become an "agreement |
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state" under Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954; and |
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WHEREAS, This historic pact remains in effect with the AEC's |
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successor agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; in addition to |
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the functions outlined in the original agreement, Texas is one of |
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only three agreement states with regulatory authority over uranium |
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recovery and the disposal of low-level radioactive waste; the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality regulates uranium, disposal of |
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low-level radioactive waste, and non-oil and gas naturally |
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occurring radioactive material waste; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Department of State Health Services |
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regulates the 1,700 other radioactive material licensees, as well |
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as 20,000 x-ray and laser medical facilities, including those that |
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perform mammography; Texas was the first state, in fact, to enact |
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laser regulations; DSHS is also the lead agency for emergency |
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response planning in regard to nuclear accidents and other |
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emergencies involving radiation; and |
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WHEREAS, Uranium and other radioactive products are |
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essential to research, industry, and medicine in the 21st century, |
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and for 50 years, the State of Texas has capably and safely |
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regulated the use of these invaluable materials; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the agreement between |
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the State of Texas and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and pay |
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tribute to those state agencies and their employees responsible for |
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this agreement's implementation. |