Current Status

The DOE Office of Legacy Management currently manages the Uranium Leasing Program and continues to administer 38 lease tracts, all located within the Uravan Mineral Belt in southwestern Colorado. Thirteen of these lease tracts are still actively held under lease. Administrative duties include the ongoing monitoring and oversight of leaseholders’ activities and the annual inspection of these lease tracts to identify and correct safety hazards or other environmental compliance issues.

On July 6, 2007, DOE released the Uranium Leasing Program Programmatic Environmental Assessment that considered three alternatives to the program. After considering all comments received during the public review process, a Finding of No Significant Impact was issued for the preferred Expanded Program alternative. Under this alternative, DOE will continue the Uranium Leasing Program, extending the 13 existing leases for a ten-year period, and offering additional leases (up to 25 lease tracts) to the domestic uranium industry for the same ten-year period.

During implementation of the Expanded Program alternative, DOE will assure that the public’s health and welfare and the environment are protected. DOE’s leaseholders are required to comply with all applicable statutes, rules, and regulations and are required to post reclamation performance bonds with DOE that are sufficient to fund the ultimate reclamation of their respective lease operations.