This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 919, known as the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

2019—Pub. L. 116–92, § 3131(1), inserted “and whistleblower” after “safety” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, § 3131(2), inserted “, or who violates any applicable law, rule, regulation, or order related to nuclear safety whistleblower protections,” before “shall be subject to a civil penalty” and inserted at end “The Secretary of Energy may carry out this section with respect to the National Nuclear Security Administration by acting through the Administrator for Nuclear Security.”

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–92, § 3131(3), added subsec. (e).

2005—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 109–58, § 610(a), struck out at end “In implementing this section, the Secretary shall determine by rule whether nonprofit educational institutions should receive automatic remission of any penalty under this section.”

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–58, § 610(b), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) provided that the provisions of this section would not apply to the University of Chicago for activities associated with Argonne National Laboratory; the University of California for activities associated with Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; American Telephone and Telegraph Company and its subsidiaries for activities associated with Sandia National Laboratories; Universities Research Association, Inc. for activities associated with FERMI National Laboratory; Princeton University for activities associated with Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; the Associated Universities, Inc. for activities associated with the Brookhaven National Laboratory; and Battelle Memorial Institute for activities associated with Pacific Northwest Laboratory.

1999—Pub. L. 106–65 inserted “safety” before “regulations” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 109–58, title VI, § 610(c), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 782, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall not apply to any violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) occurring under a contract entered into before the date of enactment of this section [Aug. 8, 2005].”

Section effective Aug. 20, 1988, but inapplicable to any violation occurring before Aug. 20, 1988, see section 20 of Pub. L. 100–408, set out as an Effective Date of 1988 Amendment note under section 2014 of this title.