On January 22, LM staff traveled to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to meet with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) and other state and federal agencies to establish a collaborative path forward on Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) Title II site transitions. In October 2018, Wyoming became an “Agreement State” with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Through the WDEQ Uranium Recovery Program, regulatory responsibilities for closure and transfer of five of the six UMTRCA Title II sites in the state to LM will be completed.

During the meeting, LM discussed its UMTRCA Title II site transition process and objectives, as well as transition and license termination schedule and other issues that impact transition activities, such as land withdrawals and oil and gas activities. For each of the sites, WDEQ, LM, and NRC identified remaining technical issues that require resolution. WDEQ also indicated their near-term desire to complete remaining transfer activities for the Split Rock, Wyoming, UMTRCA Title II disposal site. LM also met with the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (WOGCC) and WDEQ to discuss how it can work with WOGCC to best resolve Applications for Permit to Drill within the long-term care boundary of the Bear Creek, Wyoming, Disposal Site.

A collaborative approach to UMTRCA Title II site transitions will streamline the transfer process and prevent duplication of effort across government agencies, saving taxpayer dollars.