Health and Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is withdrawing its January 19, 2017, proposed rule addressing health and environmental protection standards under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA) that would have applied to byproduct materials produced by uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) and would have subsequently been implemented by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its Agreement States. The EPA is withdrawing the proposed rule for three reasons. First, the EPA, informed in part by feedback received on the proposal, has serious questions as to whether the proposed rule as written is within EPA's authority under UMTRCA. Second, the EPA no longer believes that a national rulemaking to promulgate standards is necessary at this time, as the EPA believes the existing regulatory structures are sufficient to ensure the targeted protection of public health and the environment at existing ISR facilities. Third, present market circumstances suggest that the influx of new ISR license applications that was once anticipated and that was an underlying motive for the proposal is not likely to materialize.