§ 2167. Safeguards information

(a) Confidentiality of certain types of information; issuance of regulations and orders; considerations for exercise of Commission’s authority; disclosure of routes and quantities of shipment; civil penalties; withholding of information from Congressional committees

In addition to any other authority or requirement regarding protection from disclosure of information, and subject to subsection (b)(3) of section 552 of title 5, the Commission shall prescribe such regulations, after notice and opportunity for public comment, or issue such orders, as necessary to prohibit the unauthorized disclosure of safeguards information which specifically identifies a licensee’s or applicant’s detailed—

(1) control and accounting procedures or security measures (including security plans, procedures, and equipment) for the physical protection of special nuclear material, by whomever possessed, whether in transit or at fixed sites, in quantities determined by the Commission to be significant to the public health and safety or the common defense and security;

(2) security measures (including security plans, procedures, and equipment) for the physical protection of source material or byproduct material, by whomever possessed, whether in transit or at fixed sites, in quantities determined by the Commission to be significant to the public health and safety or the common defense and security; or

(3) security measures (including security plans, procedures, and equipment) for the physical protection of and the location of certain plant equipment vital to the safety of production or utilization facilities involving nuclear materials covered by paragraphs (1) and (2) ^[1]

if the unauthorized disclosure of such information could reasonably be expected to have a significant adverse effect on the health and safety of the public or the common defense and security by significantly increasing the likelihood of theft, diversion, or sabotage of such material or such facility. The Commission shall exercise the authority of this subsection—

(A) so as to apply the minimum restrictions needed to protect the health and safety of the public or the common defense and security, and

(B) upon a determination that the unauthorized disclosure of such information could reasonably be expected to have a significant adverse effect on the health and safety of the public or the common defense and security by significantly increasing the likelihood of theft, diversion, or sabotage of such material or such facility.

Nothing in this chapter shall authorize the Commission to prohibit the public disclosure of information pertaining to the routes and quantities of shipments of source material, by-product material, high level nuclear waste, or irradiated nuclear reactor fuel. Any person, whether or not a licensee of the Commission, who violates any regulation adopted under this section shall be subject to the civil monetary penalties of section 2282 of this title. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the withholding of information from the duly authorized committees of the Congress.

(b) Regulations or orders issued under this section and section 2201 (b) of this title for purposes of section 2273 of this title

For the purposes of section 2273 of this title, any regulations or orders prescribed or issued by the Commission under this section shall also be deemed to be prescribed or issued under section 2201 (b) of this title.

Any determination by the Commission concerning the applicability of this section shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to subsection (a)(4)(B) of section 552 of title 5.

(d) Reports to Congress; contents

Upon prescribing or issuing any regulation or order under subsection (a) of this section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report that:

(1) specifically identifies the type of information the Commission intends to protect from disclosure under the regulation or order;

(2) specifically states the Commission’s justification for determining that unauthorized disclosure of the information to be protected from disclosure under the regulation or order could reasonably be expected to have a significant adverse effect on the health and safety of the public or the common defense and security by significantly increasing the likelihood of theft, diversion, or sabotage of such material or such facility, as specified under subsection (a) of this section; and

(3) provides justification, including proposed alternative regulations or orders, that the regulation or order applies only the minimum restrictions needed to protect the health and safety of the public or the common defense and security.

[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by a semicolon.

U.S. Code

§ 2167. Safeguards information