RULES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND ROUTING.

(a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules that provide for transportation and routing of radioactive material and waste in this state.

(b) Rules adopted under this section for low-level radioactive waste must:

(1) to the extent practicable, be compatible with United States Department of Transportation and federal commission regulations relating to the transportation of low-level radioactive waste;

(2) require each shipper and carrier of low-level radioactive waste to adopt an emergency plan approved by the department for responding to transportation accidents;

(3) require the notification and reporting of accidents to the department and to local emergency planning committees in the county where the accident occurs;

(4) require each shipper to adopt a quality control program approved by the department to verify that shipping containers are suitable for shipment to a licensed disposal facility;

(5) assess a fee on shippers for shipments to a Texas low-level radioactive waste disposal facility of low-level radioactive waste originating in Texas or out-of-state; and

(6) require a carrier to carry liability insurance in an amount the executive commissioner determines is sufficient to cover damages likely to be caused by a shipping accident in accordance with regulations imposed by the United States Department of Transportation and the federal commission.

(c) In adopting rules under this section, the executive commissioner shall consult with the advisory board and the commission.

(d) Fees assessed under this section:

(1) may provide additional revenue to support the activities of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission;

(2) may not exceed $10 per cubic foot of shipped low-level radioactive waste;

(3) shall be collected by the department and deposited to the credit of the perpetual care account;

(4) shall be used by the department for emergency planning for and response to transportation accidents involving low-level radioactive waste, including first responder training in counties through which transportation routes are designated in accordance with Subsection (a); and

(5) may not be collected on waste disposed of at a federal waste disposal facility.

(e) Money expended from the perpetual care account to respond to accidents involving low-level radioactive waste must be reimbursed to the perpetual care account by the responsible shipper or carrier according to rules adopted by the executive commissioner.

(f) In this section, "shipper" means a person who generates low-level radioactive waste and ships or arranges with others to ship the waste to a disposal site.