The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday proposed a rule to establish groundwater protection standards for communities near uranium in-situ recovery sites, which extract uranium from underground deposits by injecting fluids into ore-bearing rock.
The rule would set risk-informed criteria for protecting drinking water from both radiological and non-radiological contamination near the sites. It would also streamline the process for extending decommissioning timelines at radioactive materials facilities and nuclear reactors, reducing redundant administrative steps that facility owners face when winding down operations, according to the NRC.
Uranium in-situ recovery is currently used at approximately 16 uranium recovery facilities in the U.S. The NRC said the changes are intended to reduce costs for applicants while avoiding premature license terminations that result from rigid timeline requirements.
NRC Executive Director for Operations Mike King said the rule aims to establish "clear, enforceable standards for groundwater safety near uranium recovery sites" while improving regulatory efficiency and providing "greater certainty for both communities and facility operators."
The public has 30 days after the rule's publication in the Federal Register to submit comments at regulations.gov under Docket ID NRC-2025-1204.