The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission asked the D.C. Circuit on Thursday not to review the Oglala Sioux Tribe's petition to revoke a license for a South Dakota uranium mine, arguing that the tribe largely ignores the commission's reasons for allowing the license.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe (“Petitioner”) filed a December 24th Petition for Review (“Petition”) challenging the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (“EPA”) issuance of an underground injection control (“UIC”) Class III area permit and Class V area permit for the Powertech (USA) Inc. (“Powertech”) Dewey-Burdock Uranium In-Situ Recovery Project (“Project”).
The Project is located in Custer and Fall River Counties, South Dakota.
The federal Safe Drinking Water Act UIC program regulates six classes of injection wells. Each well class is based on the type and depth of the injection activity. Also addressed is the potential for the injection activity to result in endangerment of an underground source of drinking water. Note that: