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Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities - Draft Report for Comment (NUREG-1910, Vols. 1-2)

This NUREG publication has been issued for public comment. Comments will be accepted until October 7, 2008. Please see the comment form.

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• Publication Information
• Abstract

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• Volume 1 - Chapters 1 - 4
• Introductory Pages and Chapter 1 (PDF - 5.45 MB)
• Chapter 2 (PDF - 6.44 MB)
• Chapter 3, Sections 3.1 - 3.2 (PDF - 7.19 MB)
• Chapter 3, Sections 3.3 - 3.4 (PDF - 10.40 MB)
• Chapter 3, Section 3.5 (PDF - 6.82 MB)
• Chapter 4, Sections 4.1 - 4.3 (PDF - 8.68 MB)
• Chapter 4, Sections 4.4 - 4.5 (PDF - 6.40 MB)
• Volume 2 - Chapters 5 - 12 and Appendices A - F
  • Chapters 5 - 12 (PDF - 12.0 MB)
  • Appendices A - F (PDF - 4.50 MB)
  • Errata

Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: June 2008
Date Published: July 2008

Prepared by:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Federal and State Materials and
Environmental Management Programs

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
Land Quality Division

Availability Notice

Abstract

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared a Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GEIS) to identify and evaluate potential environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation, aquifer restoration, and decommissioning of in-situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery facilities for identified regions in the western United States. Based on discussions between uranium mining companies and the NRC staff, ISL facilities could be located in portions of Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and New Mexico. NRC is the licensing authority for ISL facilities in these states.

NRC developed this Draft GEIS using (1) knowledge gained during the past 30 years licensing and regulating ISL facilities, (2) the active participation of the State of Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality as a cooperating agency, and (3) public comments received during the scoping period for the GEIS. NRC's research indicates that the technology used for ISL uranium recovery is relatively standardized throughout the industry and therefore appropriate for a programmatic evaluation in a GEIS.

As a framework for the analyses presented in this GEIS, NRC has identified four geographic regions based on

• Past and existing uranium milling sites are located within States where NRC has regulatory authority over uranium recovery;

• Potential new sites are identified based on NRC's understanding of where the uranium recovery industry has plans to develop uranium deposits using ISL technology; and

• Locations of historical uranium deposits within portions of Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and New Mexico.

The purpose behind developing the GEIS is to improve the efficiency of NRC's environmental reviews for ISL license applications required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). NRC regulations that implement NEPA and discuss environmental reviews are found in Title 10, "Energy," of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 51. The NRC staff plans to use the GEIS as a starting point for its NEPA analyses for site-specific license applications for new ISL facilities. Additionally, the NRC staff plans to use the GEIS, along with applicable previous site-specific environmental review documents, in its NEPA analysis for the restart or expansions of existing facilities.

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