Groundwater Rules Could Complicate Uranium Development Says Lummis

U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis pressed Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominee Doug Weaver on Wednesday over draft rules and licensing practices she argued could slow uranium development and advanced nuclear projects, even as the Biden and Trump administrations have promoted domestic fuel production to reduce reliance on Russia.

During an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Lummis, a Wyoming Republican, questioned Weaver about an NRC draft rule on groundwater protection for uranium in situ recovery (ISR) sites. She said the proposal could raise monitoring and compliance costs despite what she described as decades of evidence showing minimal groundwater risk from such operations. Weaver said he was not familiar with the draft but pledged that, if confirmed, he would review it throug