NUREG-1910, Vol. 2 

Errata

Generic Environmental 

Impact Statement for 

In-Situ Leach Uranium 

Milling Facilities 

Chapters 5 through 12 

and Appendices A through F 

Draft Report for Comment 

Office of Federal and State Materials and 

Environmental Management Programs 

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 

Land Quality Division 
NUREG-1910, Vol. 2

Errata

Generic Environmental 

Impact Statement for 

In-Situ Leach Uranium 

Milling Facilities 

Chapters 5 through 12 

and Appendices A through F 

Draft Report for Comment 

Manuscript Completed: June 2008 

Date Published: July 2008 

Prepared by: 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Office of Federal and State Materials and 

Environmental Management Programs 

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 

Land Quality Division 
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NUREG-1910, Vol. 2, has been reproduced

from the best available copy.
1 APPENDIX C

2

3 SUMMARY OF CONVENTIONAL URANIUM MILLING TECHNOLOGIES
1 C. SUMMARY OF CONVENTIONAL URANIUM

2 MILLING TECHNOLOGIES

3

4 C1.1 Conventional Mills

5

6 Uranium milling techniques have evolved over the years, but the basic requirements are similar

7 to those described in NUREG-0706 (NRC, 1980, Appendix B). Although located in an

8 Agreement State and not regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), recent

9 licensing actions related to conventional mill sites in Utah (White Mesa near Blanding and

10 Shootaring Canyon near Ticaboo) can also provide some updated information [Denison Mines

11 (USA) Corporation, 2007; Plateau Resources, Ltd., 2006]. These facilities have a maximum

12 capacity of about 900-1,800 metric tons [1,000-2,000 short tons] of ore per day. Many of the

13 chemical processes are similar to those used to process ISL solutions; unlike ISL uranium

14 processing, however, additional steps are necessary to prepare the solid uranium ore for

15 recovery and manage solid waste disposal.

16

17 In traditional conventional milling operations., the uranium ore is mined from a deposit by surface

18 or underground mining techniques and transported to the mill site for processing

19 (Figure C1.1-1). Depending on economic conditions and license requirements, a conventional

20 mill may also process alternate materials such as contaminated soils for their uranium content

21 [Denison Mines (USA) Corporation, 2007]. The conventional uranium milling process involves

22 several basic steps (Figure C1.1-2).

23

24 C1.1.1 Ore Handling and Preparation

25

26 This stage of the milling process includes ore blending to ensure uniform physical and chemical

27 characteristics, crushing and grinding, and possibly drying or roasting to improve ore handling

28 and solubility properties.

29

30 Ore is trucked to the processing facility. The incoming ore is weighed and analyzed for moisture

31 and uranium content. The ore may be stockpiled to manage the feed into the circuit. Ore is

32 initially screened through a large mesh grizzly and transported by conveyer belt into the grinding

33 stage, usually by discharge into a semiautogenous grinding mill. Water is added to the ore to

34 produce a slurry containing approximately 70 percent solids. The slurry is then pumped through

35 screens into large surge tanks to maintain feed into the leach circuit. Oversize material is

36 recycled back into the semiautogenous grinding mill, and undersize material flows to a

37 storage sump.

38

39 C1.1.2 Mill Concentration

40

41 This stage of the milling processing includes physical (e.g., washing) or chemical techniques to

42 leach uranium from the slurry, followed by further uranium concentration using techniques such

43 as ion exchange or solvent recovery.

44

45 The leaching circuit dissolves uranium minerals from sandstone grains. A two-stage leaching

46 circuit is typically used (Plateau Resources, Ltd., 2006). The ore slurry is pumped from the

47 surge tanks to the first-stage leach circuit where the ore is mixed and agitated with a sulfuric

48 acid or alkaline leach solution, and an oxidant and passed through a series of leach tanks in

C-1
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Tailings

Figure C1.1-1. Schematic of a Conventional Uranium Milling Operation

(Energy Information Administration, 1995)

series. Following the first-stage leach, the slurry is transferred to the decant thickener. The

decanted liquid from the thickener is enriched in dissolved uranium and is pumped to the

solvent recovery unit for further concentration. The solids from the thickener are pumped to a

series of tanks for a second leaching stage and further uranium recovery using sulfuric acid with

oxidant. Each tank in the second stage is agitated to keep the sand grains in suspension. The

output from the second leach stage is a slurry of solids and sulfuric acid solution with

dissolved uranium.

The slurry is transferred to the first of a series of countercurrent decantation tanks for washing

and thickening. This countercurrent flow of liquid and solids washes the residual dissolved

uranium compounds from the solids. The uranium-rich acid solution decanted from the

countercurrent decantation is transferred to a clarifier, filtered, and pumped to the solvent

recovery circuit. Settled and filtered solids are recycled to the second stage leach circuit for

additional uranium recovery. The primary purpose of the solvent recovery circuit is to

concentrate and purify uranium. First, the uranium acid solution is mixed with an organic

solvent that is preferentially selective for uranium. The two solutions are then allowed to settle

and separate. After going through a series of mixing and settling tanks, almost all of the

uranium is removed from the acid solution.

The uranium-rich organic solvent is washed with acidified water and stripped of its uranium

content by mixing it in a series of mixer/settling tanks with an aqueous solution such as

C-2
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1

ORE RECEIVING, CRUSHING, AND GRINDING

4,

ALKALINE PROCESSES

I Grinding in Carbonate Solution I

Hot Leach Under Oxidizing Conditions

ACID PROCESSES

Grinding in Water 4,

ISulfuric Acid Leach with Oxidation

Acid Leach with Ion Exchange Acid Leach Resin in

or Solvent Extraction Pulp. Eluex Alternative

Caustic Leach, Caustic

Soda Precipitation

Precipitation with

Caustic Soda

* Carbonate Leach,

Resin in Pulp

Sand-Slime

Separation

Precipitation of Precipitation of Precipitation of

Concentrate Filtration Concentrate Filtration Concentrate Filtration

and Drying and Drying and Drying

Flow Diagram of the Conventional Uranium Milling Process

(Energy. Information Administration, 1995)

Figure C1.1.-2.

2

3

4

5

6

7

ammonium sulfate or sodium chloride [Denison Mines (USA) Corporation, 2007; Plateau

Resources, Ltd., 2006]. After stripping, the now barren organic solvent is recycled back into the

solvent recovery circuit. The uranium-rich (pregnant) solution then goes to the final stage for

purification, precipitation, drying, and packaging.

8 C1.1.3 Product Recovery

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

This is the final step in the milling process, where the product is recovered from solution by

filtration, purification, and chemical precipitation, followed by drying and packaging of the

yellowcake for shipment. This stage is similar to the ISL processing. The uranium-rich solution

from the solvent recovery circuit and stripping process is treated chemically to induce uranium

precipitation. The precipitated yellowcake is allowed to settle and thicken before filtration and

drying. The precipitate is then washed, dried, and packaged as described in Section 2.4.

C-3
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1 C1.1.4 Tailings Management

2

3 The conventional milling techniques recover about 90 percent of the uranium content of the feed

4 ore. Unlike ISL milling, each stage of the conventional milling process produces solid, liquid,

5 and gaseous waste streams that require disposal. These wastes can be either radioactive or

6 nonradioactive, depending on the specific process controls used fdr a facility. Typically, these

7 waste streams are transferred to tailings piles and tailings ponds for disposal (Figure C1.1-3).

8 The tailings represent the bulk of the wastes originating from the uranium mill, and with the

9 exception of the recovered uranium and process losses, account for practically all of the ore

10 solids and the process additives, including water (NRC, 1980, Appendix B). When discharged

11 from the operating mill, the tailings will consist of a mixture of solids and solutions that vary in

12 chemical and physical compositions, depending on the nature of the ore and the process used.

13 The typical components of the tails include tailings sand, fine solids (called slimes), liquids

14 composed of chemical solutions and dissolved ore solids, and water.

15

16 As part of the uranium mill licensing process, the NRC reviews the design and construction

17 details associated with the applicant or licensee proposed tailings retention system to ensure

18 safe disposal of tailings. The design review can include features such as geotechnical stability,

19 surface water hydrology and erosion protection, groundwater protection (liners), and radiation

20 protection (radon caps) (NRC, 2003). Surety estimates for aquifer restoration,

21 decommissioning, and reclamation activities are conducted similarly to those described in

22 Sections 2.5-2.6, although the scope of the effort will vary depending on the size of the

23 conventional milling facility and the presence or absence of contamination at the end

24 of operations.

25 C2 HEAP LEACH METHOD

26

27 Like conventional milling operations, the heap leaching process is a way of extracting uranium

28 from uranium ore. Ore is either mined at the location or trucked into the site. The uranium ore

29 is sized and stacked on a graded site in a series of lifts using heavy equipment. Leaching

30 solutions (typically sulfuric acid) are applied to the top of the pile and percolate through the ore

31 pile, dissolving uranium as they move. The uranium-rich solutions are collected at the bottom of

32

Tailings Pile

(Active)

Diversion

Tailings (liquid) Tailings fromChannel

Figure C1.1-3. Schematic Cross Section of an Active Tailings Pile and Tailings Pond

(Energy Information Administration, 1995)

33

C-4
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1 the ore pile, typically by a series of perforated plastic pipes buried in a gravel layer underneath

2 the pile. Heap leach technology has largely been developed for gold and copper mining, but

3 many of the same features are relevant to uranium recovery.

4

5 The heap leach site is typically lined with a clay liner or geomembrane to prevent

6 ore constituents (uranium plus other metals) from infiltrating the groundwater (Figure C2.1-1).

7 The operator determines the type of and size of the leach pad based in part on the economics

8 of producing the uranium ore, the nature of the ore, geotechnical stability issues, site

9 topography, and reclamation costs (Chadwick, 2007). Brief descriptions of types of leach

10 pads follow:

11

12 9 Conventional or flat pads are relatively flat, either graded smooth or terrain contoured on

13 gentle alluvial fans. Ore is generally stacked in thin lifts, on the order of 5-10 m

14 [16-33 ft] thick.

15

16 a Dump leach pads are similar to flat pads or can include slightly more rugged terrain.

17 The term "dump" usually means that the ore is stacked in much thicker lifts, perhaps as

18 much as 50 rn [164 ft].

19

20 e Valley fills are used in rugged and steep topography. These heap leach pads are

21 designed to fill in natural valleys using either a buttress dam at the bottom of the valley

22 or a leveling fill within the valley. These can be very large pads, depending on the local

23 topography and the size of the ore deposit.

24

25 On/off pads are hybrid heap leach systems. A relatively flat pad is built using a robust

26 liner and overliner system. Then, a single lift of ore from 4 m to 10 m [13 to 33 ft] thick is

27 loaded and leached. At the end of the leach cycle the spent ore is removed for disposal,

28 fresh ore is restacked on the pad, and the cycle is repeated.

29 Acidified Mine Water Retaining Ridges to Form Ponds

j• 20-25 ft.

12 Inches of Gravel or Clean

Coarse Channel Sand

Polyethylene Sheet

Prepared Ground Site (2-3% Grade)

3K" Perforated Collection Pipe

Collection Trough To Solution Sump

Figure C2.1-1. Schematic Diagram of Typical Heap Leach Pile (NRC, 1980)

[1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 in = 0.39 cm]

30

31

C-5
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1 The top of the heap leach pile is typically graded and divided into sections to induce leach

2 solution ponding. A pile is abandoned when the uranium recovery no longer justifies the

3 expense of pumping of leaching solution through it or when a specified low limit of solution

4 grade is reached. Collected enriched solutions can be processed at the leaching site by ion

5 exchange or solvent recovery and precipitated by chemical processing. The final precipitated

6 slurry product is then trucked to a processing facility. Groundwater restoration,

7 decommissioning, reclamation activities, and surety estimates would be conducted similarly as

8 those described previously in Sections 2.5-2.6, although the scope of the effort will vary

9 depending on the size of the heap leach operation and the presence or absence of

10 contamination at the end of operations.

11

12 Heap leaching is usually used to treat low-grade ores or when the ore body is small and situated

13 far from the milling facilities. Haulage costs dictate the choice of heap leaching at sites far from

14 the milling plant because the shipment of a high-grade pregnant solution or a crude bulk

15 precipitate from a point near the mine site is cheaper than hauling low grade ore to the mill

16 (NRC, 1980; Beahm, 2007). In cases where the heap leach pile is located reasonably near a

17 mill, acid solutions from the mill circuit are commonly used for the heap leach operation, with the

18 enriched solutions returned to the mill circuit for processing. Heap leaching for uranium

19 recovery was used on an experimental basis in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, but

20 the process is not in use at a commercial scale today (EPA, 2007).

21

22 C3 REFERENCES

23

24 Beahm, D. "Antelope Uranium Project: Comparison of ISR and Heap Leach Extraction."

25 Mining Engineering. Vol. 59. pp. 17-23. 2007.

26

27 Chadwick, J. "Heap Leaching: Moving With the Times." International Mining.

28 pp. 54-58. 2007. <http://www.infomine.com/publications/docs/InternationalMining/

29 IMSept2007c.pdf> (24 October 2007).

30

31 Denison Mines (USA) Corporation. "White Mesa Uranium Mill: Environmental Report in

32 Support of the License Renewal Application." Denver, Colorado: Denison Mines (USA)

33 Corporation. 2007.

34

35 Energy Information Administration. "Decommissioning of U.S. Uranium Production Facilities."

36 DOE/EIA-0592. Washington, DC: Energy Information Administration, Office of Coal, Nuclear,

37 Electric, and Alternate Fuels. 1995.

38

39 EPA. "Technical Report on Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive

40 Materials From Uranium Mining: Investigation of Potential Health, Geographic, and

41 Environmental Issues of Abandoned Uranium Mines." Vol. 2. EPA 402-R-05-007.

42 Washington, DC: EPA, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. 2007.

43 <http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/tenorm/volume-ii/402-r-05-007.pdf> (20 November 2007).

44

45 NRC. NUREG-1620, Rev. 1, "Standard Review Plan for the Review of a Reclamation Plan for

46 Mill Tailings Sites Under Title II of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978-

47 Final Report." Washington, DC: NRC. June 2003.

C-6
Summary of Conventional Uranium

Milling Technologies

1 NUREG- 0706, "Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Uranium Milling

2 Project M-25." Washington, DC: NRC. September 1980.

3 Plateau Resources, Ltd. "Environmental Report for Shootaring Canyon Uranium Processing

4 Facility." Rev. 1. Riverton, Wyoming: Plateau Resources, Ltd. 2006.

C-7
1 APPENDIX D

2

3 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

4
1 D. CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

2

3 D1.1 CULTURAL RESOURCES

4

5 Cultural resources are historic properties that include archaeological sites and historical-period

6 structures and features protected under the NHPA of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470).

7 Cultural resources further include traditional cultural properties that significantly define

8 community practices and beliefs that are important to maintaining community identity.

9 According to Section 106 of the NHPA, federal agencies must account for effects to historic

10 properties that may result from the agencies' undertakings. 36 CFR Part 800 defines the

11 process by which federal agencies comply with the NHPA, as amended. The National Register

12 of Historic Places (NRHP) is a register of historic buildings, objects, sites, and districts as well

13 as archaeological resources. Archaeological resources consist of prehistoric and

14 historical-period sites that contain evidence of past human lifeways and adaptations. Traditional

15 cultural properties, cultural landscapes, ethnographic landscapes, rural historic landscapes, and

16 historic mining landscapes can also be evaluated for listing in the NRHP.

17

18 The federal government established the NRHP and devised the way historic properties are

19 eligible and can be nominated to be listed in the NRHP; this process preserves significant

20 historic properties. The listing of a historic property in the NRHP ensures that a property is

21 protected under provisions of the NHPA. In addition, properties deemed potentially eligible for

22 inclusion in the NRHP are given this same protection.

23

24 In the context of a federal undertaking, the significance of a cultural resource is judged

25 according to NRHP eligibility criteria. These criteria are defined in Title 36, Part 60, of the Code

26 of Federal Regulations (36 CFR Part 60), which states that

27

28 "The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology,

29 engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and

30 objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials,

31 workmanship, feeling, and association, and;

32

33 (a) that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to

34 the broad patterns of our history; or

35

36 (b) that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or

37

38 (c) that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of

39 construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic

40 values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose

41 components may lack individual distinction; or

42

43 (d) that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in

44 pre-history or history."

45

46 In addition to these four criteria, there is a general stipulation that the property be 50 or more

47 years old (for exceptions, see 36 CFR 60.4, Criteria Considerations a-g). The importance of

48 this historic information is measured by its relevance to identified research questions that can be

49 addressed through the analysis of particular types (National Park Service, 1991). In addition to

50 research potential, both Native American and Euroamerican cultural resources may possess

D-1
Cultural and Historical Resource

Management Processes

1 public and ethnic values. Cultural resources may also have broader public significance, such as

2 serving to educate the public about important aspects of national, state, or local history and

3 pre-history. In this way, the cultural properties are evaluated in terms of the NRHP criteria with a

4 focus on integrity and information potential.

5

6 The eligibility of a cultural resource nominated for an NRHP listing may be based upon any of

7 the four criteria. Some criteria are best addressed through archival or architectural research,

8 but criterion (d) is typically documented by archaeological evidence. However, historical-period

9 properties in particular may also be eligible under other criteria, typically criteria (a)-c).

10

11 Eligibility for listing in the NRHP under criterion (d) requires that the importance or "significance"

12 of the cultural resources in question be evaluated. There is no formula for making a NRHP

13 eligibility determination that will satisfy every possible cultural resource that needs to be

14 evaluated. NRHP eligibility, therefore, must occur within a theoretical or substantive context

15 referred to as a Historic Context.

16

17 D2.1 HISTORIC RESOURCES

18

19 Historic contexts (or research themes) are the framework within which the federal historic

20 preservation process is structured. A historic context is a body of information about properties

21 organized by its basic elements-theme, place, and time. Together, the historic contexts of a

22 particular geographic area make up the history or pre-history of the area broken down into a

23 series of historically meaningful segments; each segment is a single historic context. Grouped

24 together, the various historic contexts of an area form a comprehensive summary of all aspects

25 of the area's history and pre-history.

26

27 A region has an indefinite number of historic contexts or research themes. Because these

28 contexts or themes reflect contemporary theoretical concerns in archaeology, historic contexts

29 are dynamic and constantly need to be evaluated, rethought, and refined. Historic contexts are

30 hierarchical frameworks of general concepts or categories. Topics are developed within each

31 historic context that address specific areas of research. Research questions within topics focus

32 discussion on particular issues and guide the archaeologist or historian with the initial questions

33 they can use to evaluate a cultural resource.

34

35 A key determination regarding site significance involves the concept of integrity-the physical

36 condition of a cultural resource. If the physical condition of a site can potentially provide

37 important information about history or pre-h~istory, then it has integrity. If various processes of

38 disturbance-environmental or cultural, intentional or unintentional-have affected the property

39 so that its cultural essence is lost or severely damaged, then the property is said to lack

40 integrity. In general, properties that lack integrity lack 'the potential to provide important

41 information about pre-history or history and are therefore considered ineligible for listing in

42 the NRHP.

43

44 In summary, the protection of archaeological, historical period, and traditional cultural resources

45 and landscapes within and in the vicinity of proposed projects and alternatives must be carefully

46 considered under the statutory requirements of both the National Environmental Protection Act

47 and Section 106 of the NHPA, as amended. A facility's construction, operation, or

48 decommissioning can adversely impact historic properties either directly through construction

D-2
Cultural and Historical Resource

Management Processes

1 and maintenance activities or indirectly through increased access to historic properties that

2 could potentially lead to vandalism.

3

4 D2.1 Native American Consultation

5

6 Native American groups that have ties to the region or locality in which a project is proposed

7 should be consulted during the early stages of a project. Discussions should be included with

8 any THPO or other tribal cultural organization about the presence of traditional cultural

9 properties, traditional use areas, plant and animal procurement areas, springs, shrines, sacred

10 sites, ethnographic landscapes, and other cultural resources of concern that might be present in

11 the project area.

12

13 D2.2 Area of Potential Impacts to Historic and Cultural Resources

14

15 The general area of potential impacts to cultural and historic resources encompasses the

16 project area and its alternatives, all its structures and facilities, and related infrastructure

17 developments. That area is wherever direct or indirect impacts adversely affect or have the

18 potential to adversely affect historic and cultural resources, traditional cultural properties, and

19 landscapes that are or have the potential to be listed in the NRHP. Determining effects to

20 historic and cultural resources, traditional cultural properties, and landscapes will coincide with

21 the site-specific review and development of a supplemental EIS, as required.

22

23 D2.3 General Historic Contexts

24

25 Developing Historic Contexts is critical in evaluating archaeological resources for listing in the

26 NRHP as part of the NEPA and NHPA Section 106 processes. These overarching themes are

27 the framework on which specific historic contexts will need to be developed for the specific

28 regions and localities in which ISL mining projects are proposed.

29

30 For pre-history, the key themes might include the following: Chronology, Subsistence,

31 Subsistence Technology and Methods, Land Use and Settlement Patterns, Community

32 Development and Organization, and Cultural Affiliation and Boundaries are considered to be the

33 major prehistoric and protohistoric themes related to prehistoric cultural resources of the

34 western United States and are applicable to Nebraska. For the Historic period, the key themes

35 include: Farming and Ranching, Mining, Military Presence, Formation of Indian Reservations,

36 Transportation and Communication, Water Control, and Power Generation are considered to be

37 the major historical period themes related to the settlement and development of the western

38 United States.

39

40 D3 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY METHODS

41

42 Documentation of historic and cultural resources, traditional cultural properties, and traditional

43 landscapes required for the NEPA and NHPA Section 106 evaluative processes for

44 development of a supplemental environmental assessment/EIS as project-specific localities are

45 identified occurs as ISL milling projects are identified. The inventory methods are discussed on

46 a general level in the following section. The actual documentation process and level of

47 documentation will coincide with the site-specific review and development of a supplemental

48 EIS as required.

49

.D-3
Cultural and Historical Resource

Management Processes

1 D3.1 Class I Inventory

2

3 Class I inventory consists of reviewing existing cultural resources files (existing literature, other

4 documents, maps, files, and photographs) at the relevant federal, tribal, state, and local

5 repositories. Previous cultural resources inventories in the proposed project areas and

6 alternatives that will be incorporated into project-specific cultural resources inventories and

7 evaluations will be described and documented as part of the Class I records search process.

8 The Class I inventory includes the background research needed to develop regional and locally

9 specific historic contexts. The resulting Class I inventory report forms the foundation for later

10 historical and cultural, resources field inventories. The inventory evaluates cultural resources for

11 their eligibility for listing in the NRHP and how they are treated before construction begins.

12

13 As part of the Class I inventory, an attempt should be made to identify and contact

14 knowledgeable individuals to, insofar as possible, obtain information about the location of

15 historical and cultural resources. This should include consultation and ethnographic interviews

16 with Native American individuals or groups (Tribal Historic Preservation Officers or tribal cultural

17 and historic preservation offices) to document traditional cultural properties, sacred places, and

18 ethnographic and historic landscapes.

19

20 D3.2 Class 11 Inventory

21

22 The Class 11 inventory consists of a nonintensive cultural resources field inventory. The Class 11

23 inventory typically surveys a portion of a project area rather than conducting a complete

24 inventory (see following information on Class Ill inventory). The sample that is selected is

25 considered to represent the kind and density of resources in the entire project area. Therefore, it

26 predicts the historical and cultural resources that are expected to be found in the entire project

27 area. Resources that are found during the Class 11 inventory are fully documented to federal,

28 state, and tribal standards, and a technical report describing the inventory results is created.

29

30 D3.3 Class Ill Inventory

31

32 A Class Ill inventory consists of an intensive on-the-ground cultural resources inventory of the

33 entire project area. All cultural resources that are found are fully recorded and documented to

34 meet federal, state, and tribal inventory requirements. A technical report meeting SHPO and/or

35 land managing agency reporting standards that describes the results of the cultural resources

36 inventory is created.

37

D-4
1 APPENDIX F

2 DESCRIPTION OF PROCESSES FOR REVIEW

3 OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS

4
1 F. DESCRIPTION OF PROCESSES FOR REVIEW

2 OF CUMULATIVE EFFECTS

3

4 F1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL

5 QUALITY 11-STEP PROCESS

6

7 An example for analyzing potential cumulative effects process can be based on applying the

8 Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 11-step process to the 12 identified resource areas

9 (CEQ, 1997):

10

11 Step 1: Identify the significant cumulative effects issues associated with the proposed

12 action and define the assessment goals. This step is based on identifying typical

13 incremental impacts associated with the construction, operation, aquifer restoration, and

14 decommissioning phases associated with the ISL project.

15

16 Step 2: Establish the geographic scope for the analysis. The scope for the four

17 identified cumulative effects issues and related resource areas consists of the local and

18 regional areas around the proposed ISL project. The specific spatial boundaries are

19 place based and vary with each resource area.

20

21 Step 3: Establish the timeframe for the analysis. The selected timeframe is typically

22 from the initiation of area energy development projects (e.g., 1960s) to the future point in

23 time when the proposed ISL project will have extracted the useable uranium.

24

25 * Step 4: Identify other actions affectinq the resources, ecosystems, and human

26 communities of concern. As noted in the earlier definition, other actions include past,

27 present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions (RFFAs) that have, or would be

28 expected to have, impacts on the four identified resource areas. Identifying past actions

29 will typically involve reviewing local and regional energy and industrial development

30 projects and various land use activities and changes (e.g., from agricultural usage to

31 residential usage). Present actions may include current planning and license

32 applications related to ISL projects, other energy and industrial development projects,

33 and/or activities leading to land use changes. The RFFAs, which may include the

34 continued operation or expansion of past and present actions, can be defined as

35

36 Actions identified by analysis of formal plans and proposals by

37 public and private entities that have primary (direct) or secondary

38 (indirect) impacts on the four resource areas. RFFAs also include

39 potential actions that are beyond mere speculation when

40 incorporated in plans or documents by credible private or public

41 entities. RFFAs may also include events forecasted by trends,

42 probable occurrences, policies, regulations, or other credible data

43 that may have bearing on the four resource areas.

44

45 Each identified RFFA should be defined by its anticipated time period of occurrence,

46 probability of occurrence, and geographical location relative to the proposed ISL facility.

47

48 Step 5: Define the pertinent resource areas identified during scoping in terms of how

49 they will respond to change and ability to withstand stresses. In this case, scoping refer

F-1
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 to both public scoping meetings and impact study team scoping that identifies

2 cumulative effects issues. Steps 1 and 4 are particularly relevant and resulted in the

3 four identified resources areas. Resource capacity and response to change

4 (e.g., groundwater usage) need to be identified for local and regional groundwater

5 resources. The types, locations, and sizes of wetlands near the proposed ISL facility

6 should be described. Federal and state-listed threatened or endangered species in both

7 local and regional areas must be identified along with fundamental scientific information

8 on the "ecology" of the species, the reasons for the original species listing and any

9 subsequent changes (e.g., from a "threatened" status to an "endangered" status), and

10 the availability of specific recovery plans. For nearby cultural resources, those listed or

11 eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) should be

12 identified. State listings should also be included.

13

14 Steps 6 and 7: Characterize the stresses affecting these resources, ecosystems, and

15 human communities and their relation to regulatory thresholds; define a baseline

16 condition for the resources, ecosystems, and human communities. These two steps can

17 be addressed together for each of the four resource areas of concern-groundwater

18 resources, wetlands, threatened and endangered species, and historic and cultural

19 resources. Historical and current laws, regulations, ordinances, and programs that

20 contain policies related to the specific resource area should be identified. Then,

21 historical reference point and trend information, along with current conditions, should be

22 summarized for the indicators representing the resource areas. Many information

23 sources will need to be reviewed during the characterizations called for in Steps 6 and 7.

24 Further, the institutional information, environmental conditions, and compliance with

25 regulations can serve as the basis to categorize past and present sustainability

26 conditions for the resource areas.

27

28 Step 8: Identify the important cause-and-effect relationships between human activities

29 and specific resource areas. This step can largely be accomplished -by relating past,

30 present, and RFFAs to the four pertinent resource areas. These connections can be

31 based on peer-reviewed literature, various governmental studies and reports, and

32 impact-study-related and resource-management-related sources. Such references will

33 aid in the documentation of relationships. As noted above, Step 8 is also related to

34 Step 4, and combining these steps will help establish the "action boundaries."

35

36 Step 9: Determine the magnitude and significance of cumulative effects. To determine

37 the magnitude of the cumulative effects, incremental impacts of the proposed action on

38 each selected resource area and related impacts from past, present, and RFFAs actions

39 should be analyzed. Quantitative models might be available for some topics, such as

40 evaluating the impacts of groundwater restoration. For other topics such as cumulative

41 effects on wetlands, impact information might be developed by considering the changes

42 in wetland sizes and their functions. Various functionality indices are available for

43 wetlands, and they could be used to determine the magnitude of the cumulative effects.

44 For both threatened and endangered species and cultural resources, a. combination of

45 regulatory criteria and information related to the proposed ISL facility could be used.

46

47 The significance of cumulative effects refers to "NEPA significance" as defined in

48 40 CFR 1508.27. The criteria in 40 CFR 1508.27 note that the requirements of

49 pertinent laws and regulations need to. be considered along with numerical

F-2
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 standards and criteria, if they exist. A key issue regarding significance is how the

2 combined cumulative effects influence the resource's stability. An alternative

3 approach could include considering relative magnitudes (or contributions) to

4 cumulative effects. These magnitudes could be divided into major, intermediate,

5 and minor contributions from the proposed and other actions. Finally, note that

6 the "magnitude" feature of Step 9 requires scientific and technical approaches,

7 while the "significance" feature involves both scientific and policy considerations.

8

9 * Step 10: Modify or add alternatives to avoid, minimize, or mitigate significant cumulative

10 effects. This step can be addressed by identifying generic mitigation measures for many

11 of the actions associated with the analyzed actions. Measures that could be included as

12 a license condition and thus become the responsibility of the ISL licensee are especially

13 important. In addition, various regulatory programs that have facilitated, or are expected

14 to emphasize, generic mitigation measures for numerous actions should also be

15 identified and incorporated, as appropriate.

16

17 Step 11: Monitor the cumulative effects of the selected alternative and adapt

18 management. This step is systematically identified for each selected resource area.

19 The key criteria that could be used to trigger Step 11 are the past, present, and future

20 sustainability conditions for the areas. If the conditions of the resource area are

21 currently sustainable and this is expected to continue into the future, only targeted

22 additional monitoring beyond that which is currently being done might be considered.

23 For resource areas that are currently considered to be not sustainable or marginally

24 sustainable, specific collaborative monitoring with pertinent governmental agencies may

25 be recommended.

26

27 F2 WYOMING INTERNET INFORMATION SOURCES

28

29 The following list of websites contains information on environmental conditions in the State of

30 Wyoming, and/or information on past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions within

31 the State. (These websites generally provide information at the state level, and the reviewer

32 may consider them as a starting point for a. more region-specific analysis.)

33

34 U.S. Forest Service-National Forests-<http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/>. This

35 website includes information on national forests, their history, management

36 plans, projects, and NEPA compliance documents such as environmental

37 assessments and environmental impact statements (EISs).

38

39 U.S. Bureau of Land Management-Wyoming-<http://www.blm.gov/wy/

40 st/en/info>. This website includes resource management plans, land usage

41 information on BLM lands, and various recent and current NEPA compliance

42 documents such as environmental assessments and ElSs.

43

44 Uranium-related website-<http://www.wise-uranium.org>. This website

45 includes both general and specific information on uranium recovery projects.

46

47 Coal mine-related website--<http://www.rootsweb.com/

48 -wymining/1898coalmines.html>. This website includes historical and

49 current information on coal mining in Wyoming.

F-3
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1

2 General website-<www.all-Ilc.com>. This website includes information on

3 coal bed methane projects in Wyoming.

4

5 General website-<http://www.wma-minelife.com/uranium/mining/pits.html>.

6 This.Wyoming Mining Association website includes useful information on

7 uranium, coal, and other minerals mining activities.

8

9 The following list of State of Wyoming websites includes information on state agencies listed at:

10 <http://wyoming.gov/government.asp>. Some of the web sites have limited information, but many

11 (e.g., State Geological Survey) have links to numerous applicable publications.

12

13 e Wyoming Department of Agriculture-<http://wyagric.state.wy.us/links.htm>.

14 Links to Rural Development Councils and Conservation Districts.

15

16 o Wyoming State Climatologist-<http://www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/

17 wsc/wsc.html>. Link to Wyoming drought monitoring.

18

19 0 Wyoming Business Couricil-<http://www.wyomingbusiness.org>. Link to

20 state Energy Program, including the quarterly newsletter, Wyoming Energy

21 Notes, and viability analyses of underground coal gasification in the Powder

22 River Basin and similar documents and link to the Wyoming Oil & Gas

23 Conservation Commission.

24

25 o Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality-<http://deq.state.wy.us/>.

26 Links to all divisions, including Water Quality, Air Quality and Abandoned

27 Mine Lands.

28

29 o Wyoming Game & Fish Department-<http://gf.state.wy.us/>. Final 2007

30 Gray Wolf Management Plan and document on Current & Future Energy

31 uses in Wyoming, also link to Recommendations for Development of Oil and

32 Gas Resources within Crucial and Important Wildlife Habitats (2004)-A

33 Strategy for Managing Energy Development Consistently with the Federal

34 Landý Planning and Management Act Principles of Multiple Use and

35 Sustained Yield.

36

37 o Wyoming GIS Coordination Structure-<http://wgiac2.state.wy.us/

38 html/index.asp>. GIS databases and online maps, including coalbed

39 methane map.

40

41 o Wyoming State Geological Survey-<http://w.wsgs.uwyo.edu/>. Online

42 publications include pamphlets on coalbeds, earthquakes, and natural gas in

43 Wyoming; Wyoming Mineral Updates (through January 2008) and link to the

44 Industrial Minerals and Uranium Section.

45

46 o Office of Homeland Security-<http://wyohomelandsecurity.state.wy.us/>.

47 Includes the 2008 State Mitigation Plan addressing various natural and

48 human-induced disasters. The plan includes many RFFAs applicable to

49 Wyorming and other western states.

F-4
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1

2 Wyoming Department of Health-<http://wdh.state.wy.us/>. Has

3 environmental health page with links to limited information on such topics as

4 mercury in fish, chemical hazards, etc.

5

6 Oil & Gas Conservation Commission-<http://wogcc.state.wy.us/>. Includes

7 updates of several large projects, as well as geological reports and resources

8 analyses. Home page lists several potential RFFAs.

9

10 0 Wyoming Board of Outfitters-<http://outfitters.state.wy.us/>. Includes link to

11 39-page memorandum of understanding between the outfitters and several

12 state and federal agencies.

13

14 a State Parks & Cultural Resources-<http://wyospcr.state.wy.us/>. Has links

15 to all state parks, various planning documents, and park visitor statistics.

16

17 0 Department of Transportation-<http://dot.state.wy.us/>. Information Central

18 icon has information on public meetings, manuals, and other publications.

19

20 9 Wyoming Travel & Tourism-<http://www.wyomingtourism.org>. Includes

21 interactive map and travel regions.

22

23 0 Wyoming Water Development Comm ission-<http://wwdc.state.wy. us/>.

24 Includes legislative reports, history of Wyoming water law, water basin plans

25 for the two Regions, as well as links to water resources data system and

26 water library.

27

28 Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust-<http://wwnrt.state.wy.us/>.

29 Funded by interest earned on a permanent account, donations, and

30 legislative appropriation, the purpose of the-program is to enhance and

31 conserve wildlife habitat and natural resource values throughout the state.

32

33 F3 NEBRASKA AND SOUTH DAKOTA INFORMATION SOURCES

34

35 The following list of websites contains information on environmental conditions in the states

36 of South Dakota and Nebraska, and/or information on past, present, and RFFAs within each

37 state. (These websites generally provide information at the state level, and the reviewer may

38 consider them as a starting point for a more region-specific analysis.)

39

40 U.S. Forest Service-National Forests-<http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/>. This

41 website includes information on national forests, their history, management

42 plans, projects, and NEPA compliance documents such as environmental

43 assessments and ElSs.

44

45 BLMI-South Dakota and Nebraska-<http://www.blm.gov/sd/st/en/info> and

46 <http://www.blm.gov/ne/st/en/info>. These websites include resource

47 management plans, land usage information on BLM lands, and various recent

48 and current NEPA compliance documents such as environmental

49 assessments and ElSs.

F-5
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1

2 F3.1 South Dakota State Agencies

3

4 The following list of State of South Dakota websites includes information on agencies listed at:

5 http://sd.gov/state-agencies.aspx. Some of the web sites have limited information, but many

6 (e.g., State Geological Survey) have links to numerous applicable publications.

7

8 South Dakota Department of Agriculture-<http://www.state.sd.us/doa/>.

9 Includes several divisions such as Resource Conservation and Forestry

10 (links to Conservation Districts, statewide conservation plans, range

11 management, forestry land enhancement, state statutes, etc.) and wildland

12 fire suppression (links to drought protection measures, burning regulations,

13 etc.).

14

15 Department of Environment and Natural Resources16 <http://www.state.sd.us/denr/denr.html>. Excellent site with information on

17 2008 surface water quality, groundwater quality, oil and gas, geology,

18 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act sites, air quality monitoring,

19 Pollution Prevention programs, stormwater management, NPDES permits,

20 water rights, permitting and reporting procedures, etc.

21

22 South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks---<http://www.sdgfp.info/>. Information

23 on state parks, prairie dog management plan, state recreational fishing

24 surveys, and hunting and fishing regulations.

25

26 & Department of Health-<http://doh.sd.gov/>. Includes publications on state

27 health statistics and diseases such as hanta virus.

28

29 e Department of Public Safety-<http://www.state.sd.us/dps/>. Includes

30 homeland security information, burning ban maps, link to Governor's drought

31 task force, etc.

32

33 Department of Revenue and Regulation-<http://www.state.sd.us/

34 drr2/revenue.html>. Includes information on the Petroleum Release

35 Compensation Fund (cleanup fund).

36

37 Department of Tourism and State Development-<http://www.tsd.sd.gov/>.

38 Includes six divisions-Tourism, History, Arts, Housing, Tribal Relations and

39 the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Has links to State Historic

40 Preservation Office (SHPO) and historic preservation regulations.

41

42 Department of Transportation-<http://www.sddot.com/>. Includes county

43 maps, other maps of aviation facilities and construction areas, information on

44 railroad loading facilities, environmental programs, etc.

45

46 School and Public Lands-<http://www.sdpubliclands.com/>. A brief review

47 indicated letting of a mineral lease for Fall River County and surface land

48 leases for Fall River and Pennington Counties.

49
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 0 Public Utilities Commission-<http://puc.sd.gov/>. Includes statutes and

2 administrative law.

3 9 South Dakota Geological Survey-<http://www.sdgs.usd.edu/>. Includes

4 interactive state geological map, online databases, link to Black Hills

5 hydrological study, and information on oil and gas wells in Fall River County.

6

7 9 Cooperative Extension Service-<http://sdces.sdstate.edu/>. Includes

8 agriculture and weather information.

9

10 F3.2 Nebraska State Agencies

11

12 The following list of State of Nebraska websites includes information on state agencies listed at:

13 <http://www.nebraska.gov/agencysites.phtml>. Some of the web sites have limited

14 information, but many have links to numerous applicable publications.

15

16 Nebraska Department of Agriculture-<http://www.agr.state.ne.us/>.

17 Website has links to an interactive statistics map, as follows:

18 <http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_byState/Nebraska/SVG/index.asp>

19

20 Nebraska Energy Office-<http://www.neo.ne.gov/>. Homepage has links to

21 wind and solar energy initiatives, the state energy program, Federal Energy

22 Policy Act of 2005, and publications such as the Nebraska Energy Quarterly.

23

24 Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality-<www.deq.state. ne. us/>.

25 This is one of the better state sites. Has links to regulations, maps and data,

26 and publications on a wide variety of topics including RCRA monitoring,

27 wellhead protection, groundwater program, source water protection, NPDES

28 permits, etc.).

29

30 Nebraska Environmental Trust-<http://www.environmentaltrust.org/>.

31 Established in 1992 to conserve, restore and enhance the natural

32 environments of Nebraska.

33

34 Nebraska Forest Service-<http://www.nfs.unl.edu/>. Affiliated with

35 University of Nebraska Extension Service; has links to publications such as

36 the land cover inventory of the Niobrara watershed, which includes portions

37 of Dawes, Sioux and Box Butte Counties.

38

39 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission-<http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/>.

40 Has links to the three state parks in the study area: (1) Box Butte Reservoir

41 SWA-Dawes/Box Butte Co., (2) Chadron SP-Dawes Co., and

42 (3) Ft. Robinson SP-Sioux Co.

43

44 Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services45 <http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/>. Environmental health section includes links

46 to section on hazardous wastes related to terrorism and also

47 radioactive substances.

48

F-7
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 Nebraska Emergency Management Agency-<http://www.nema.ne.gov/>.

2 Has links to division dealing with radiological emergencies.

3

4 Nebraska Department of Natural Resources-<http://www.dnr.state. ne.us/>.

5 Has links to many water resources news releases and publications, including

6 Report on Hydrologically Connected Ground Water and Surface Water in the

7 Upper Niobrara-White Natural Resources District-Found at:

8 <http://www.dnr.state.ne.us/PublicationsStudies/UNWNRD_

9 Report 1004.pdf> Also at this site is information on groundwater flow

10 models, water policy, soils and GIS natural resources mapping.

11

12 Nebraska Oil & Gas Conservation Commission13 <http://www.nogcc.ne.gov/>. Has links to well data and underground

14 injection information and to related websites in surrounding states.

15

16 Nebraska Department of Roads-<http://www.dor.state.ne.us/>. Has

17 information on wetland mitigation, cultural resources, stormwater

18 management, sediment and erosion control, etc.

19 <http://www.dor.state.ne.us/environment/>.

20

21 Nebraska Travel and Tourism-http://www.visitnebraska.org/. Regional

22 maps are online.

23

24 University of Nebraska Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources25 <http://ianrhome.unl.edu/Home>. Has links to Extension Service, Agriculture

26 schools, and School of Natural Resources, as well as drought information

27 and other influences on agriculture.

28

29 F4 NEW MEXICO INFORMATION SOURCES

30

31 The following list of websites contains information on environmental conditions in the State of

32 New Mexico, and/or information on past, present, and RFFAs within the state. (These websites

33 generally provide information at the state level, and the reviewer may consider them as a starting

34 point for a more region-spelcific analysis.)

35

36 * U.S. Forest Service-National Forests--<http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/mbr/>. This

37 website includes information on national forests, their history, management

38 plans, projects, and NEPA compliance documents such as environmental

39 assessments and ElSs.

40

41 BLM-New Mexico-<http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/info>. This website

42 includes resource management plans, land usage information on BLM lands,

43 and various recent and current NEPA compliance documents such as

44 environmental assessments and ElSs.

45

46 The following list of State of New Mexico websites includes information on state agencies listed

47 at: <http://newmexico.gov/AtoZ.php>. Some of the web sites have limited information, but many

48 have links to numerous applicable publications.

49

F-8
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 0 Department of Agriculture-<http://nmdaweb.nmsu.edu/>. Has links to

2 information on Conservation Districts, watershed districts, wildlife

3 management (pests), rangeland and grazing programs, and water and

4 natural resources policy.

5 * Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District-<http://www.mrgcd.com/

6 content.asp?CustComKey=226893&CategoryKey=266245&pn=Page&Dom N

7 ame=mrgcd.com>. Involved in a wide spectrum of water-related issues on

8 the Middle Rio Grande as far south as the Bosque del Apache National

9 Wildlife Refuge in Socorro County.

10

11 Department of Cultural Affairs-<http://www.newmexicoculture.org/>. Has

12 links to prehistoric and historic sites and related issues; also, Historic

13 Preservation Division at <http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/>. Includes

14 sites listed on the state and federal historic and cultural registers.

15

16 Demographics: Population Estimates and Projections17 <http://www.unm.edu/-bber/demograp2.htm>. Data by county.

18

19 Department of Economic Development-<http://www.edd.state. nm. us/

20 index.html>. Maps of counties, railroads and major roads; also county

21 economic and population statistics.

22

23 Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department24 <http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/main/index.htm>. Divisions include mining

25 and minerals, oil conservation, forestry, and state parks. Information on mine

26 reclamation, abandoned mine land programs, timber harvesting

27 requirements, etc.

28

29 Environment Department-<http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/>. Includes

30 regulations and laws and programs for air quality, pollution prevention,

31 hazardous wastes, drinking water and groundwater quality (the latter includes

32 a section on Mining and Environmental Compliance).

33

34 Department of Game and Fish-<http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/>. Focuses

35 on hunting and fishing, but also has information on birding and small wildlife.

36

37 Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources-<http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/>.

38 Includes links to petroleum exploration maps for Catron, Cibola, McKinley

39 and Socorro Counties, geologic and hydrologic maps, and many

40 energy-related publications (e.g., Geology of the Uranium Region near

41 Grants in Cibola County).

42

43 Department of Health-<http://www.health.state.nm.us/>. Has links to county

44 and tribal health departments/councils.

45

46 Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management47 <http://www.nmdhsem.org/default.asp?CustComKey=270308&CategoryKey=

48 274276&pn=Page&DomName=nmdhsem.org>. Includes emergency
Description of Processes for Review

of Cumulative Effects

1 preparedness information similar to the Federal Emergency

2 Management Agency.

3

4 * Indian Affairs Department-<http://www.iad.state.nm.us/>. Includes state

5 map of tribal lands and links to tribal government sites.

6

7 * New Mexico Resource GIS Program-<http://rgis.unm.edu/>. Resource GIS

8 provides access to data, training, and technical support for geographic

9 information users, as well as those who desire to incorporate geographic

10 information into their processes and applications; includes the Earth Data

11 Analysis Center.

12

13 * State Land Office-<http://www. nmstatelands.org/Default.aspx>. Includes

14 information about oil and gas, mineral and agriculture leasing programs.

15

16 * Tourism Department-<http://www. newmexico.org/index3. php>. Information

17 on all outdoor activities, including birding and wildlife watching areas.

18

19 * Department of Transportation-<http://www. nmshtd.state. nm .us/>.

20 Information on construction areas, airports, maps, scenic byways and historic

21 and prehistoric sites along them.

22

23 * New Mexico Natural Heritage-<http://nhnm.unm.edu/>. Dedicated to

24 information on rare species and ecosystems; has a user-friendly searchable

25 database for county information on state and federally listed species.

26

27 F5 REFERENCE

28

29 CEQ. "Considering Cumulative Effects Under the National Environmental Policy Act."

30 Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President. 1997.

F-1 0
NRC FORM 335 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1. REPORT NUMBER

(9-2004) (Assigned by NRC, Add Vol., Supp., Rev.,

NRCMD 3.7 and Addendum Numbers, if any.)

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA SHEET

(See instructions on the reverse) NUREG-1910, Vol. 2

2. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 3. DATE REPORT PUBLISHED

Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities MONTH YEAR

Chapters 5 through 12 and Appendices A through F July 2008

Draft Report for Comment 4. FIN OR GRANT NUMBER

5. AUTHOR(S) 6. TYPE OF REPORT

Technical

7. PERIOD COVERED (Inclusive Dates)

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION - NAME AND ADDRESS (If NRC, provide Division, Office or Region, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and mailing address; if contractor,

provide name and mailing address.)

Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection

Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Programs

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION - NAME AND ADDRESS (If NRC, type "Same as above"; ifcontractor, provide NRC Division, Office or Region. U,S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,

and mailing address.)

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division (Cooperating Agency)

122 West 25th Street, Herschler Building

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

11. ABSTRACT (200 words or less)

This Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GElS) was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and NRC regulations for implementing NEPA found at Title 10, "Energy," of the U.S. Code of

Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 51 (10 CFR Part 51). This Draft GElS evaluates on a programmatic basis, the potential

environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation, ground water restoration, and decommissioning of uranium

milling facilities employing the in-situ leach (ISL) process.

In the ISL process, a leaching agent, such as oxygen with sodium bicarbonate, is added to native ground water for injection

through wells into the subsurface ore body to dissolve the uranium. The leach solution, containing the dissolved uranium, is

pumped back to the surface and sent to the processing plant, where ion exchange is used to separate the uranium from the

solution. The underground leaching of the uranium also frees other metals and minerals from the host rock. Operators of ISL

facilities are required to restore the ground water affected by the leaching operations. The milling process concentrates the

recovered uranium into the product known as "yellowcake" (U308). This yellowcake is then shipped to uranium conversion

facilities for further processing in the overall uranium fuel cycle.

12. KEY WORDS/DESCRIPTORS (List words or phrases that will assist researchers in locating the report.) 13. AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Uranium Recovery unlimited

In-Situ Leach Process 14. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Uranium (This Page)

Environmental Impact Statement unclassified

(This Report)

unclassified

15. NUMBER OF PAGES

16. PRICE

NRC FORM 335 (9-2004) PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
F.d.r1I Recycling Program
NUREG-1910, Vol. 2

Draft (Errata)

Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities July 2008

4'

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001

OFFICIAL BUSINESS