Massive New Mexico Uranium Mining Project Hits Wall Covered In Red Tape
New Mexico is emerging as a battleground in America’s push to revive domestic uranium production as state and tribal officials fight a proposed project that could produce millions of pounds of nuclear fuel each year.
New Mexico is emerging as a battleground in America’s push to revive domestic uranium production as state and tribal officials fight a proposed project that could produce millions of pounds of nuclear fuel each year.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez is seeking to intervene in the federal relicensing of the Crownpoint Uranium Project, arguing that developer NuFuels must address groundwater protections, cleanup costs and state and tribal requirements before production can move forward near Crownpoint and Church Rock.
“Protecting the groundwater that we rely on for drinking, bathing, and household and agricultural use is a very real priority for every New Mexican,” Torrez said in a press release. “Any new uranium mining in our state must be carried out to the highest environmental standards.”
The fight is happening as Washington pushes to revive America’s nuclear industry and rebuild the domestic fuel supply needed to support it. The Crownpoint project is intended to help secure a long-term domestic uranium supply and reduce reliance on foreign sources, according to the federal government’s permitting dashboard.
But Crownpoint’s struggles highlight a broader challenge facing efforts to expand domestic nuclear power: projects meant to supply the industry can face years of federal licensing, state regulatory requirements, environmental reviews and litigation before production begins, potentially slowing Washington’s effort to rebuild a domestic nuclear fuel supply chain.