§2103. Definitions

As used in this Chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this Section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) "Byproduct material" means:

(a) Any radioactive material, except special nuclear material, yielded in or made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incident to the process of producing or utilizing special nuclear material.

(b) The tailings or wastes produced by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from any ore processed primarily for its source material content.

(2) "Emergency" means any condition existing outside of the bounds of nuclear operating sites owned or licensed by a federal agency, and any condition existing within or outside of the jurisdictional confines of a facility licensed or registered by the department and arising from the presence of byproduct material, source material, special nuclear material, or any other radioactive material, or source of radiation, which is endangering or could reasonably be expected to endanger the health and safety of the public or to contaminate the environment.

(3) "High-level waste" means that waste resulting from the reprocessing of spent fuel rods or unreprocessed spent fuel rods.

(4) "Licensee" means any person who is licensed by the department in accordance with this Chapter and regulations promulgated by the secretary.

(5) "Licenses" means general licenses and specific licenses.

(a) "General license" means a license effective pursuant to regulations promulgated by the secretary without the filing of an application to transfer, acquire, own, possess, or use quantities of, or devices or equipment utilizing, byproduct, source, or special nuclear materials, technologically enhanced natural radioactive material, or other radioactive material occurring naturally or produced artificially.

(b) "Specific license" means a license issued after application to the department to use, manufacture, produce, transfer, receive, acquire, own, or possess quantities of, or devices or equipment utilizing, byproduct, source, or special nuclear materials, technologically enhanced natural radioactive material, or other radioactive material occurring naturally or produced artificially.

(6) "Low-level radioactive waste" means, as provided in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (P.L. 96-573), radioactive waste not classified as high-level radioactive waste, transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct material as defined in Section 11(e)(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended through 1978, 42 U.S.C. 2014(e)(2).

(7) "Naturally occurring radioactive waste material" or "NORM waste" means solid, liquid, or gaseous material or a combination of materials, excluding source material, special nuclear material, and byproduct material that has the following characteristics or qualities:

(a) Spontaneously emits radiation in its natural physical state.

(b) Is discarded or unwanted.

(c) Is not exempt by any department rule adopted pursuant to R.S. 30:2105(C).

(8) "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, agency, political subdivision of this state, any other state or political subdivision or agency thereof, and any legal successor, representative, agent, or agency of the foregoing, other than the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission or federal government agencies licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

(9) "Radiation" means any electromagnetic or ionizing radiation including gamma rays and x-rays, alpha and beta particles, high-speed electrons, neutrons, protons, and other nuclear particles, but does not include sound waves.

(10) "Radioactive material" means any material, whether solid, liquid, or gas, which emits radiation spontaneously.

(11) "Radioactive waste" means radioactive material, other than exploration and production waste as defined in LAC 43:XIX.129.M.1 that is contaminated with NORM waste or special wastes as described in R.S. 30:2193(C)(6) that has either of the following characteristics or qualities:

(a) Is discarded or unwanted and is not exempt by any department rule adopted pursuant to R.S. 30:2105(C).

(b) Would require processing before it could have a beneficial reuse.

(12) "Registration" means the identification of any material or device capable of emitting radiation, together with such other information as the owner of such material or device is required to furnish by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

(13) "Source material" means uranium or thorium, or any combination thereof, in any physical or chemical form, or ores which contain by weight one-twentieth of one percent or more of uranium, thorium, or any combination thereof, but source material does not include special nuclear material.

(14) "Source of radiation" means any radioactive material or any device or equipment emitting or capable of producing radiation.

(15) "Special nuclear material" means either of the following:

(a) Plutonium, uranium 233, uranium enriched in the isotope 233 or in the isotope 235, and any other material which the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, pursuant to the provisions of Section 51 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, determines to be special nuclear material, but does not include source material.

(b) Any material artificially enriched by any of the foregoing, but does not include source material.

(16) "Technologically enhanced natural radioactive material" or "TENR" means natural sources of radiation which would not normally appear without some technological activity not expressly designed to produce radiation.

Acts 1979, No. 449, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1980. Amended by Acts 1980, No. 194, §9; Acts 1983, No. 97, §1, eff. Feb. 1, 1984; Acts 1984, No. 497, §1, eff. July 6, 1984; Acts 1999, No. 303, §1, eff. June 14, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 1374, §1, eff. July 12, 1999.