Source: http://www.powertechuranium.com/s/Facts_Regulations.asp
Timestamp: 2014-08-01 05:45:06
Document Index: 347921102

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 258', '§ 25', '§ 25', '§ 25', '§ 25', '§ 144', '§ 147', 'art 18', '§ 25', '§ 25', '§ 25', 'art 18']

Powertech Uranium Corp. - Regulations/Permitting - Thu Jul 31, 2014
Regulation & Permitting of In-Situ Recovery in Colorado
Regulatory Jurisdiction Over Colorado Uranium Mining
In-situ Uranium Mining and Milling: State and Federal Permits, Authorizations & Requirements
In-situ uranium recovery is a highly regulated at the federal, state and local levels. In fact, the process is subject to more than three-dozen major and minor federal environmental laws. In addition, Powertech (USA) Inc. must submit extensive permit applications for multiple government regulatory agencies before any mining activities can begin. This Fact Sheet outlines the overall permitting process and timeline at each level.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) oversees and regulates the process of in-situ uranium recovery. However, Colorado is an 'Agreement State,' meaning that state agencies have entered into agreement with NRC to oversee all in-situ recovery licensing and permitting on that federal agency's behalf. Under this accord, Powertech will apply for the following state permits for its Centennial Project:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's (CDPHE) Radiation Program of the Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division is the entity in Colorado that regulates the uranium in-situ recovery licensing process. Powertech's Centennial Project will require at least three permits from CDPHE, including an Air Quality Permit, a Groundwater Discharge Permit and a Radioactive Materials License.
This overview examines the relevant Colorado statutes and rules, and sets forth how DRMS and CDPHE coordinate the regulation of uranium mining in Colorado. Specifically, this paper examines the in-situ uranium mining project proposed by Powertech Uranium Corporation (“Powertech”), as well as future Colorado in-situ and conventional uranium operations, Notice of Intents to Prospect (“NOI’s”), and uranium milling operations.
Id.2 1 All citations to websites in this paper were accurate as of the date the websites were visited, which was June 21, 2007. 2 There is no definition of “milling” or “source material milling” in Colorado statutes. However, the Colorado Code of Regulations defines “source material milling” as “any activity that results in the production of byproduct material as defined by definition (2) of byproduct material.” 6 CCR 1007-1, § 1.2.2. The C.C.R. further defines “byproduct” as:
(2) The tailings or wastes produced by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from ore processed primarily for its source material content, including discrete surface wastes resulting from uranium or thorium solution extraction processes (underground ore bodies depleted by these solution extraction operations do not constitute "byproduct material" within this definition). Id.
4) Powertech’s In-situ Uranium Site
In 2006 Powertech purchased 5,760 acres of uranium mineral rights in Weld County, Colorado from Anadarko Land Corporation, which had previously purchased the mineral rights from Rocky Mountain Energy Company (“RME”). RME had conducted an evaluation and concluded that there were several uranium deposits containing 9,581,000 pounds of uranium located at the site. See . Powertech indicated that it plans to conduct an in-situ uranium mining operation at this site, which it named the “Centennial Project.” The site is located in west-central Weld County, 13 miles south of the Colorado-Wyoming border, and three to five miles east of Interstate 25. See Canadian National Instrument, Form 43-101, page 6. As of August 2007, Powertech has not filed a permit application with DRMS or with CDPHE for operation of the Centennial Project.
4) CDPHE will be the primary regulatory agency responsible for licensing and monitoring uranium milling operations. However, DRMS will play an extensive consulting role in reviewing an application for the operation’s reclamation, revegetation, hydrologic balance and financial assurance aspects.3 DISCUSSION
[n]o governmental office of the state, other than the board, nor any political subdivision of the state shall have the authority to issue a reclamation permit pursuant to this article, [or] to require reclamation standards different from those established in this article.4 3 There are circumstances in which DRMS has a regulatory role in milling operations; e.g., when the mill is attached to a mine and thus is within the “affected land” of the operation. Such circumstances are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Moreover, DRMS’s jurisdiction over in-situ uranium operations flows from definitions
contained in the Mined Land Reclamation Act. The following definitions help illustrate
DRMS’s jurisdiction over in-situ uranium operations.
Reading these definitions as a whole, a mining operation is defined as the extraction of a mineral. Uranium falls within the definition of a “mineral.” The proposed in-situ operation involves extracting this mineral from its natural occurrence. Consequently, Powertech’s proposed operation constitutes a mining operation. Accordingly, Powertech must obtain a reclamation permit from DRMS.5 B) CDPHE Statutory Authority
DRMS’s responsibility as an implementing agency in relation to groundwater under C.R.S. § 258-202 will be discussed later in this paper.
of ionizing radiation. No other agency or branch of this state shall have such
power or authority.6 C.R.S. § 25-11-103. Any person who uses radioactive material must apply for and receive a license from CDPHE: (1) No person shall acquire, own, possess, or use any radioactive material occurring naturally or produced artificially without having been granted a license therefore from the department; nor shall he transfer to another or dispose of such material without first having been granted approval of the department therefore. (2) No person shall knowingly use, manufacture, produce, transport, transfer, receive, send, acquire, own, or possess any source of ionizing radiation unless such person is licensed by or registered with the department. (Emphasis added). C.R.S. § 25-11-107. Moreover, uranium mills must be licensed by CDPHE. C.R.S. § 25-11201(1.6). 7 CDPHE may also be involved through the WQCD if surface discharge permits are required by the operation:
[t]he division [WQCD] shall be solely responsible for the issuance and
enforcement of permits authorizing point source discharges to surface waters of
the state affected by such discharges. C.R.S. § 25-8-202(7)(b)(I).
7 The Colorado Code of Regulations (“CCR”) and the Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) provide additional regulation of in-situ uranium mining operations in Colorado. For example, the Underground Injection Control Program (UIC) requires “Class I” and “Class III” well operators to receive permits in order to protect underground sources of drinking water. Class I wells include wells that inject hazardous waste into the ground near an underground source of drinking water, while Class III wells include wells used for the “in situ production of uranium or other metals.” 40 C.F.R. § 144.6. The Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, regulates Class I and Class III wells. 40 CFR § 147.301. Thus, if Powertech’s Centennial Project uses Class I and Class III wells, it may be required to receive separate permits from the EPA.
Also, CDPHE RAM’s “Licensing Requirements for Uranium and Thorium Processing,” 6
C.C.R. 1007-1, Part 18, sets forth extensive rules regulating uranium processing facilities and disposition of the resulting byproduct material. These rules require, among other things, a specific CDPHE license for source material milling. Id. at RH 18.3.
The commission and the division shall recognize water quality responsibilities of
the following state agencies, referred to in this subsection (7) as the ‘implementing agencies’: The office of mined land reclamation.
Based on the above statutes and rules, DRMS and CDPHE must both be involved in the regulation and licensing of in-situ uranium operations in Colorado. A CDPHE license is required because in-situ uranium operations involve the manufacturing, production, use, possession, and possible transfer and/or transportation of radioactive materials – in this case, uranium. Thus, Powertech, as well as any future in-situ mining operator, must apply for and obtain the appropriate licenses from CDPHE’s RAM before beginning an in-situ uranium operation. C.R.S. § 25-11-103; 107.
Operators will not be required to obtain groundwater discharge permits from CDPHE’s WQCD because C.R.S. § 25-8-202(7) (also known as “S.B. 181” for the senate bill that changed the statute) explains that the WQCD will not permit activities subject to the jurisdiction of implementing agencies. In-situ operations are subject to the jurisdiction of an implementing agency - the DRMS. DRMS will thus be responsible for protecting and implementing the state’s groundwater quality standards.8 8 It is important to note that S.B. 181 pertains only to groundwater regulation. Therefore, operators may still be required to obtain surface water discharge permits from the WQCD if the operation will cause a discharge to surface water. The nature of the operation will determine the role of any other CDPHE divisions and programs, and DRMS may ask the RAM unit, the Water Quality Control Division, and other appropriate CDPHE divisions or programs to provide comments during the reclamation permit review process.
In conclusion, given that Powertech’s proposed operation constitutes a mining operation and involves radioactive material, such operation will require separate permits from CDPHE and DRMS. CDPHE and DRMS will have dual jurisdiction and regulatory authority over Powertech’s in-situ uranium operation, as well as over any future in-situ uranium mining operations in Colorado. The two departments will coordinate as practicable and appropriate the permit process to provide comprehensive regulatory oversight and requirements.
B) Regulation of Conventional Uranium Mining in Colorado DRMS will be the primary agency responsible for permitting and regulating conventional uranium mining operations. As stated previously, conventional mining “involves removing rock from the ground, breaking it up and treating it to remove the minerals being sought.” CDPHE will not be involved unless a uranium milling operation is associated with the conventional operation. CDPHE explained that:
C.R.S. § 25-11-201(1.6); 6 CCR 1007-1, Part 18. CDPHE will be the primary agency responsible for regulating uranium milling operations, with input from DRMS. DRMS will play a regulatory role in milling operations when the mill is attached to a mine and thus is within the “affected land” of the operation. back to top