Reading Room Document

Damage Claims Under the Atomic Energy Act

The document discusses the effect of a floor amendment proposed by Senator Hathaway on the Price-Anderson Act, which deals with public liability claims arising from nuclear incidents. The conclusion reached in the document is that the Hathaway Amendment excludes the costs of investigation, settlement, and defense of claims under the Federal indemnity, but does not change the treatment of those costs under the overall limit on public liability, financial protection insurance, or the industry-funded deferred-premium elements of the statutory compensation system. The document presents questions about the intent of the Hathaway Amendment, the treatment of costs under different elements of the Price-Anderson Act, and the legislative history and statutory construction principles that support the conclusions reached.

June 25, 1977