The NRC Announces Change in Review Approach
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a press release today announcing the publication of the final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for in situ leach uranium recovery (ISR) operations. It states that the agency has decided to issue full Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEIS) for new recovery operations, instead of Environmental Assessments as originally planned.
“The NRC’s decision to require site specific EISs for in situ leach uranium mining would not have occurred without the tremendous effort of hundreds of community groups, individuals and organizations, plus concerted efforts by tribes, tribal members and states.
This victory is a small first step to getting the NRC to listen and respond to the serious concerns of the people most affected by uranium mining and those living with the legacy of the environmental and health dangers of previous uranium mining.“ Jonathan Block, Law Center Staff Attorney