NRC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS IN CASPER, WYO., AND ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.,
ON GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY OF URANIUM RECOVERY OPERATIONS
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking public comment for a “generic environmental impact statement” (GEIS) the agency intends to develop for uranium recovery operations, including in-situ leach (ISL) recovery facilities and conventional mills.

The NRC is expecting numerous applications for new uranium recovery operations in the next two to three years. This GEIS is intended to address the common issues associated with environmental reviews of ISL and conventional milling facilities located in the western United States. Because there are environmental issues common to both types of facilities, the NRC staff will be addressing these common issues generically to aid in a more efficient environmental review for each separate license application, if and when these applications are submitted.

Members of the NRC staff will hold public meetings Aug. 7 in Casper, Wyo., and Aug. 9 in Albuquerque, N.M., to discuss the scope of the GEIS. Members of the public will be invited to comment on environmental issues that will be addressed in the GEIS, including land use, public and occupational health, waste management, water resources, air quality, historical resources and others.

The meeting in Casper will be held at the Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, 123 West E Street. The Albuquerque meeting will be at the Hilton Albuquerque, 1901 University Blvd. N.E. Both meetings will be from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. NRC staff will hold an informal open house to meet members of the public from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. before each meeting.

More information about the GEIS will be published shortly in the Federal Register. The agency will also be accepting written comments on the scope of the GEIS. Comments should be addressed to Chief, Rules Review and Directives Branch, Mail Stop T-6D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C., 20555-0001; or by electronic mail to nrcrep@nrc.gov. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 4.

NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.

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Monday, July 23, 2007