![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (FY 93-99) Review Committee
1. PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY. This charter is for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Review Committee (Committee) of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. (App. I) 9 (C). The purpose of NACEPT is to provide advice and counsel to the Administrator of EPA on issues associated with the management of environmental problems. As a subordinate component of NACEPT, the Committee provides independent advice and council on specific EPA activities, issues and needs as they relate to EPA's implementation of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act.
2. SCOPE OF ACTIVITY. The Committee advises, consults with and makes recommendations to the Administrator on issues associated with EPA's role in regulating the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The Committee will analyze documents prepared by the Department of Energy and submit to EPA, comments received by EPA from other parties interested in the WIPP, EPA's analysis, and drafts of EPA's positions on WIPP issues. Using these documents and other publicly available information the Committee will analyze problems, raise issues, present findings, make recommendations, conduct meetings and perform other activities necessary for the attainment of its objectives.
3. OBJECTIVES. The Committee is assigned the role to advise the Administrator on policy and technical matters arising from EPA's regulation of the WIPP. Specifically the committee will provide advice on:
- EPA's decision to approve/disapprove the Department of Energy's
Test and Retrieval Plans for the WIPP
- EPA's development of Compliance Criteria implementing the High Level and Transuranic Waste Disposal Standards (40 CFR 191)
- EPA's decision to certify whether or not the WIPP complies with 40 CFR 191
- Other issues related to EPA's oversight of the WIPP as bought to the Committee by the Administrator.
4. OPERATION OF THE COMMITTEE. The Committee shall be operated in accordance with the Charter and the Bylaws of the NACEPT to which it reports. It shall hold meetings when called by the Administrator to provide advice before EPA proposes or promulgates major regulatory or other WIPP related decisions. Staff support for the operation of the Committee shall be provided by the Office of Cooperative Environmental Management and the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.
5. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE. The Committee consists of a group of independent experts drawn from academic institutions, Federal, State and local government agencies, environmental groups, industry and nonprofit entities. The group shall be of sufficient size and diversity to provide the range of perspective required to assess each element related to the Committee's objectives. The Committee would range between 12 and 20 members, at least 1 of whom shall be an existing NACEPT member. The Committee may establish subcommittees to focus on specific problems or problem areas. Members may serve on more than one subcommittee.