[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10424-10426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03599]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Request for Information Regarding Key Challenges in
Reconstituting Uranium Mining and Conversion Capabilities in the United
States
AGENCY: Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Request for information (RFI).
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SUMMARY: The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this RFI to
invite public input on key challenges in reconstituting uranium mining
and conversion capabilities in the United States. This invitation is in
recognition of the importance of nuclear fuel supply chain capabilities
to the United States. The Joint Explanatory Statement of the Energy and
Water Development Committees on H.R. 1865, the Fiscal Year 2020 Energy
and Water Appropriations Act, requests the Department to contract not
later than 60 days after enactment of the Act with a Federally-Funded
Research and Development Center (FFRDC) or other
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independent organization to work with industry to identify key
challenges in reconstituting mining and conversion capabilities in the
United States. The responses received from this RFI will be provided to
the FFRDC or the independent organization.
DATES: Written comments and information are requested on or before
March 16, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons may submit comments by any of the
following methods:
1. Email: [email protected]. Submit electronic comments in
Microsoft Word or PDF file format and avoid the use of special
characters or any form of encryption. Please include ``Response to
RFI'' in the subject line.
2. Postal Mail: Response to Mining and Conversion RFI, c/o Ms.
Cheryl Moss Herman, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear
Energy, NE-42, Room B-409, 19901 Germantown Rd., Germantown, MD 20874-
1290.
3. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Cheryl Moss Herman, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, NE-42, Room B-409, 19901
Germantown Rd., Germantown, MD 20874-1290. Phone: (301) 903-1788.
4. Online: Responses will be accepted online at https://www.regulations.gov.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
for this request for information. No facsimiles (faxes) will be
accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for further information
should be sent to: [email protected] or Ms. Cheryl Moss Herman,
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, NE-42, Room B-409,
19901 Germantown Rd., Germantown, MD 20874-1290. Phone: (301) 903-1788.
Please include ``Question on RFI'' in the subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Both the President and Congress have recognized the importance of
domestic nuclear fuel production capabilities to the United States.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S.
uranium production in 2018 of 1.47 million pounds
U3O8 was at the lowest level since 1950 (https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=39352). U.S. uranium mining
capabilities are at risk for closure if production ceases. The only
U.S. conversion capability is in ``ready idle'' status due to poor
market conditions.
In a memorandum on July 12, 2019, President Donald J. Trump stated
that ``the United States uranium industry faces significant challenges
in producing uranium domestically and that this is an issue of national
security.'' The President established the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working
Group to ensure a comprehensive review of the entire domestic nuclear
supply chain and ``to develop recommendations for reviving and
expanding domestic nuclear fuel production.'' (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-effect-uranium-imports-national-security-establishment-united-states-nuclear-fuel-working-group/)
On December 20, 2019, in the Joint Explanatory Statement
accompanying the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L.
116-94), DOE was requested to contract not later than 60 days after
enactment with a Federally-Funded Research and Development Center
(FFRDC) or other independent organization to work with industry to
identify key challenges in reconstituting mining and conversion
capabilities in the United States.
The responses received from this invitation for public input will
be considered by the independent organization in its identification of
key challenges in, and the formulation of recommendations for,
reconstituting mining and conversion capabilities in the United States.
II. Specific Questions on Which Information Is Requested
Public comment on the following questions is requested. Please
provide data, analysis or other justification for all responses:
Market-Related
1. What are the most important market-related challenges to
reconstituting the uranium mining and conversion industries? Please
consider the following challenges and provide input on additional
challenges as needed.
U.S. and global demand
[cir] What level of demand and specific characteristics (U.S. and
global, long-term versus short-term, etc.) would incentivize restarting
or ramping up uranium production and conversion services capabilities
in the United States?
What is a viable level of production to support uranium
mining and conversion capability and how are you defining ``viable''?
[cir] For U.S. industry in total?
[cir] For individual projects, such as a mine, extraction or
processing facility, company, etc.?
Contract terms
[cir] What contract term lengths would support sustainable U.S.
supply and what constitutes a ``sustainable U.S. supply''?
[cir] What price level would be sufficient to encourage domestic
production from existing as well as new production centers, and how
much production is assumed in that price level?
How long would it take from a ``restart'' decision
(presumably after signing needed contracts) to achieve a viable level
of production?
What is the impact of U3O8 and
UF6 inventories on U.S. mining and conversion capabilities?
Technical/Regulatory
2. What are the technical and/or regulatory barriers to the restart
of uranium mining and conversion capabilities in the United States?
For existing projects and facilities?
For new projects and facilities?
How do these barriers compare to those in other countries
involved in uranium mining? What unique characteristics (e.g.,
nationalized mines) exist in these countries?
3. Are there concerns or limitations with existing uranium mining
and conversion infrastructure (e.g., aging facilities, new
regulations)? If so, what impact do they have on the ability to start/
restart production, production costs or capacity?
Financial
4. What are the financial challenges related to reconstituting
uranium mining and conversion capabilities in the United States?
What are the challenges related to the ability to raise
needed capital?
What financial incentives are required for new companies
to enter the industry?
Human Resources
5. What are the human resource-related considerations for
reconstituting uranium mining and conversion services capabilities in
the United States?
Are there specific recruitment and/or training challenges
that must be overcome?
Describe the nature of any potential shortfall in subject
matter experts?
What is the expected timeframe for realizing sufficient
human resources to reconstitute the United States' uranium and
conversion capabilities?
Other
6. Are there additional considerations that should be taken into
account regarding key challenges to
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reconstituting a uranium mining and conversion capability in the United
States?
Importance
7. Please indicate which of the challenges addressed are the most
important to reconstituting a uranium mining and conversion capability
in the United States?
Recommendations and Timing
8. Please provide any recommendations that might address and
mitigate any industry challenges. Indicate the implementation timing
needed to be effective.
III. Submission of Comments
DOE invites all interested parties to submit, in writing by March
16, 2020, comments and information on matters addressed in this RFI.
Any information that may be business proprietary and exempt by law from
public disclosure should be submitted as described in Section IV.
Business Proprietary Information.
IV. Business Proprietary Information
Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information he or
she believes to be business proprietary and exempt by law from public
disclosure should submit via email, postal mail, or hand delivery/
courier two well-marked copies: One copy of the document marked
``Business Proprietary'' including all the information believed to be
proprietary, and one copy of the document marked ``non-Proprietary''
with the information believed to be business proprietary deleted. DOE
will make its own determination about the business proprietary status
of the information and treat it according to its determination. Factors
of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat submitted
information as business proprietary include: (1) A description of the
items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as
business proprietary within the industry; (3) whether the information
is generally known by or available from other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made available to others without
obligation concerning its business proprietary nature; (5) an
explanation of the competitive injury to the submitting person which
would result from public disclosure; (6) when such information might
lose its business proprietary character due to the passage of time; and
(7) why disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public
interest.
Signed in Washington, DC, on February 18, 2020.
Andrew Griffith,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain,
Office of Nuclear Energy, Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-03599 Filed 2-21-20; 8:45 am]
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