Request for Information Regarding Key Challenges in Reconstituting Uranium Mining and Conversion Capabilities in the United States, 10424-10426 [2020-03599]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[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]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P