Status of the UraniumStatus of the Uranium Recovery Program

Andrew Persinko, Deputy DirectorBill von Till, Branch Chief,

Division of Waste Management andEnvironmental Protectiono e ta otect o

June 18 2014June 18, 2014

Status of Licensing Actions

• Accomplishments Since Previous Workshop• Issued Powertech license and Final SEISIssued Powertech license and Final SEIS• Issued Strata license and Final SEIS• Crow Butte License renewal almost complete

A l f ti L t C k ISR• Approval for operations – Lost Creek ISR• Approval for operations – Uranerz Nichols Ranch

• Current Activities• Reviewing 7 licensing actions

• 3 expansions, 1 new license, and 3 license renewals

• Future ActivitiesFuture Activities• Workload increasing – operating sites• Two major hearings underway and two coming in late FY14

– FY15– FY15

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Areas of Interest

• Radon

• Section 106 Consultation

• Licensing Actions

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Priorities

• Priorities- Safety• Licensed sitesLicensed sites• New facility/expansion reviews• Guidance

• Perform safety and environmental reviews in parallelM j li i i f d i d f• Major licensing reviews performed in order of acceptance

• License renewals, Section 106 ProgrammaticLicense renewals, Section 106 Programmatic Agreement activities same priority as licensed site actions

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Historic Application Receipt Rates

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16

14

16

Average Receipt Rate = 34%

10

12

14

10

tio

ns

8

10 9

7

9

er o

f Ap

pli

ca

Expected

Received

4

6 5

4

2 2

5

3

4Nu

mb

e

0

2

FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

1

Fiscal Year

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Projections for WorkloadScenarios 2013Scenarios - 2013

21

11

19

11

1618

11 11

FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015

Applications in House if 60% are 6 Months Late Applications in House if 60% are 1 Year Late

Applications in House includes items being worked on and anticipated letters of intent.

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Projections for WorkloadScenarios 2014Scenarios - 2014

11

14

1111

13

10

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

Applications in House if 60% are 6 Months Late Applications in House if 60% are 1 Year Late

Applications in House includes items being worked on and anticipated letters of intent.

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Letters of Intent

• Project name, location and submission jdate

• Site work completed and future work planned

• Signed by corporate officer• Industry history – ~34% submission

rate in any given year • Early and accurate letters of intent

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Budget

• Based on letters of intentF l ti t t 2 i d• Formulation starts 2 years in advance

• Assumes the ~34% submission history• Staff capacity – 4 to 6 major licensing

actions at any given timeFY15 j li i l d ll• FY15 major licensing load – all carryover except 1 renewal applicationO ti it i ti d• Operating site inspections and amendments increasing

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Section 106 Consultation

• Completed 4 Section 106 reviews since previous workshopp

• 7 reviews currently under way• Improvements

• Proactive coordination with State Agencies and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

• Increased Tribal outreachIncreased Tribal outreach • Earlier engagement of stakeholders• Using experts to support our review• Developing uranium recovery guidance• Open site approach

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NMA IssuesF Billi• Fee Billing• Process on level of detail provided in May 29, 2014 letter

• Pre-licensing ConstructionPre licensing Construction• Need to understand concerns

• Structure and Focus of Reviews• April 2014 meeting

• Agency Resources• Efficiency in review processEfficiency in review process

• Guidance • Development schedule

• EPA Rulemakings• Subpart W draft rule out for comment• 40 CFR 192 in development, scope of conforming rulep , p g

• Section 106 • Draft guidance, staff open to efficiency ideas 11

Hearings

• Five current reviews have a hearing gcomponent (Powertech, Strata, Crow Butte license renewal, Crow Butte North Trend, Crow Butte Marsland)Crow Butte Marsland)

• Hearing activities on-going with one action (Powertech)

• Anticipate increased hearing related activities later this year

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Summary

• Significant staff accomplishments since previous NMANMA

• Shift of staff resources to operating sites• Section 106 Consultation process is improving

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Bill von Till

• Resources: Uranium Recovery Staff• Operations: Operating sites increasing shift from• Operations: Operating sites increasing, shift from

licensing to oversight• Priority is operating sites - Safety

• Present Licensing: Major licensing actions• Communication: After licensing and before

tioperation• Planning: Future applications• Oil and Gas Considerations• Oil and Gas Considerations• Guidance: lower priority - status

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Uranium Recovery Safety Staff

Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch• Bill von Till, Chief

Other Division Staff• Chad Glenn, PM,

• Amy Snyder, Team Leader • Ron Linton, Sr. Hydrogeologist/PM• Ron Burrows Health Physicist/PM

• Varughese Kurian, Health Physicist• Gary Comfort, reviews

Ron Burrows, Health Physicist/PM• Elise Striz, Hydrogeologist• Douglas Mandeville, Geotechnical

Engineer/PM

• On Temporary Assignment• Ed Stutzcage, Health Physicist• Zach Gran Health PhysicistEngineer/PM

• Sarah Acten, Licensing Assistant• James Webb, Health Physicist/PM

T L t H d l i t/PM

• Zach Gran, Health Physicist

• Tom Lancaster, Hydrogeologist/PM• John Saxton, Hydrogeologist/PM• Jose Valdez, Hydrogeologist/PM

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Environmental Review Staff

Kevin Hsueh, Branch Chief

• Alan Bjornsen, PM• Jill Caverly, Sr. PM• Diana Diaz-Toro, PM

• Johari Moore, PM• James Park, PM• Mirabelle Shoemaker, PM,

• John Fringer, PM• Nathan Goodman, PM• Kellee Jamerson, PM

• Jean Trefethen, PM• Ashley Waldron, PM• Antoinette Walker-Smith, Kellee Jamerson, PM

• Stephen Lemont, Sr. PM• Asimios Malliakos, PM

,Licensing Assistant

• Haimanot Yilma, PM

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Project Managers - ProjectsProject Safety PM Environmental PM

AUC Reno Creek Chad Glenn Jill Caverly

Cameco North Trend Ron Burrows Nate Goodman

Cameco Crow Butte LR Ron Burrows Nate Goodman

Cameco Smith Ranch LR Doug Mandeville James Park

Cameco Marsland Tom Lancaster Mirabelle Shoemaker

HRI Crownpoint LR Ron Linton James Park

Powertech Dewey-Burdock Ron Burrows Haimanot Yilma

Strata Ross John Saxton Johari Moore

Uranium One Ludeman Elise Striz Kellee Jamerson

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Operating Sites

Cameco - Smith Ranch ISRC C B tt ISRCameco - Crow Butte ISRUranium One - Willow Creek ISRUr Energy/Lost Creek – Lost Creek ISRUranerz – Nichols Ranch ISR

Kennecott Sweetwater – Standby –Conventional Mill

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Project Managers - Licenses

Cameco Crow Butte – Ron BurrowsC S ith R h D M d illCameco Smith Ranch - Doug MandevilleUranium One Willow Creek - Ron Linton/Jose ValdezLost Creek John SaxtonLost Creek - John SaxtonUranerz Nichols Ranch - Ron Linton

Kennecott Sweetwater - James WebbHydro Resources Crownpoint - Ron LintonyUranium One Moore Ranch - Doug Mandeville

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Major Licensing ActionsLicense Renewals Expansions New Facilities

Cameco – Crow Butte 1

Cameco – Crow Butte 1

AUC - Reno Creek2

Resources1 North Trend1

Cameco – Smith Ranch2

Uranium One –Ludeman

Hydro Resources, Inc., - Crownpoint

Cameco – Crow Butte, MarslandU JUranerz – Jane

Dough3

Notes:Notes:1 – issued final safety evaluation report2 – issued request for additional information3 – received, start of acceptance review pending

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Post Licensing/Prior toPost Licensing/Prior to Operation

• Open issues resolved prior to license issuance• Pre-operation license conditions• Agreement/understanding of license conditions• Agreement/understanding of license conditions

prior to issuance of a license• Meeting after license issuance regarding license

diticonditions• Timely licensee submittals for NRC for approval

prior to scheduling pre-operational inspection p g p p p• Pre-operational inspection

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Oil and Gas ConsiderationsPowder River Basin

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Guidance UpdatesGuidance Updates• Interim Staff Guidance FSME-ISG-01 - Evaluations

of Uranium Recovery facility Surveys of Radon and Radon Progeny in Air and Demonstrations of Compliance with 10 CFR Part 20.1301of Compliance with 10 CFR 20.1301 Compliance with 10 CFR• Standard Review Plan for Conventional Mills andwith 10 CFR 20.1301 Compliance with 10 CFR 20.1301Standard Review Plan for Conventional Mills and Heap Leach Facilities

• Revision of NUREG-1569 – On Hold Pending EPA Final Rule on 40 CFR 192Final Rule on 40 CFR 192

• Groundwater Data Consolidation• Regulatory Guide 3.51g y• Regulatory Guide 3.59• Regulatory Guide 4.14• Regulatory Guide 8.30

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