Final EIS analyzing potential impacts of the Department’s proposed action to acquire, through procurement from commercial sources, high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and to facilitate the establishment of commercial HALEU fuel production.
October 8, 2024
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Finalization of EIS Advances Biden-Harris Administration’s Goal to Boost Domestic HALEU Production
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing potential impacts of the Department’s proposed action to acquire, through procurement from commercial sources, high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) and to facilitate the establishment of commercial HALEU fuel production.
DOE previously issued the draft HALEU EIS on March 8, 2024, for public feedback. During the comment period, DOE received 223 comments from tribes, federal and state agencies, industry, nonprofit organizations, and the public. DOE considered and responded to all 223 comments in the process of preparing the final EIS.
“The release of this final EIS comes after months of hard work to consider the environmental effects of commercial HALEU production,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Mike Goff. “The analysis has been strengthened by public involvement at various stages of the process, and the conclusion of the EIS brings us one step closer to establishing a secure, domestic HALEU supply.”
The EIS considered the activities of a uranium-based fuel cycle and determined that the production of HALEU would involve the following: uranium mining and milling, uranium conversion, uranium enrichment to HALEU, HALEU deconversion, HALEU storage, and transportation of uranium between activity locations.
The final EIS is available on the project website. DOE will issue a record of decision for the final HALEU EIS no sooner than 30 days after the publication of the notice of availability of the final HALEU EIS by the Environmental Protection Agency. The record of decision will be available in the Federal Register and on the project website.
The Energy Act of 2020 directs DOE to establish and carry out a program to support the availability of HALEU for civilian, domestic research, development, demonstration, and commercial use. Consistent with this direction, the proposed action of this final EIS focuses on the acquisition of HALEU produced by commercial entities using enrichment technology and making it available for commercial use or demonstration projects.
For more information on the final EIS, visit /ne/haleu-environmental-impact-statement.
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