Federal Register #2026-18504

NRC Proposed Rule for In Situ Recovery Monitoring and Decommissioning Timeliness

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing regulatory amendments for uranium mills and in situ recovery (ISR) facilities. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) - OEMs and Vendors: - No OEMs or vendors are mentioned; this is a regulatory action, not a procurement - Products/Services Requested: - No products or services are being procured - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Introduces risk-informed requirements for groundwater protection at uranium ISR facilities - Provides flexibility for licensees to delay decommissioning activities when safety is not impacted - Codifies best management practices for nuclear facilities - Adds new ISR-specific definitions and clarifies cleanup standards - Extends notification timeframes for decommissioning - The NRC is seeking public comments to inform its final rulemaking - No contract, purchase, or award is associated with this notice

Description

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to amend its regulations governing the licensing of uranium mills and the disposition of tailings and waste from uranium extraction and milling. The proposed amendments include issuing risk-informed requirements for groundwater protection at uranium in situ recovery (ISR) facilities and providing additional flexibility for licensees to delay decommissioning activities when safety is not impacted. The rule aims to enhance groundwater protection and streamline decommissioning timelines for nuclear facilities. Comments on the proposed rule are due by October 13, 2026.

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