EPA rules it has jurisdiction over potential uranium mine
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a decision on the Indian Country status of property owned by Uranium Resources Inc. (URI) near Churchrock, N.M.
The agency has determined that the property, called Section 8, is Indian Country and, therefore, it is under EPA’s jurisdiction to administer an underground injection control permit.
There has been a jurisdictional dispute among the state of New Mexico, EPA and the Navajo Nation regarding the site. The dispute was reviewed by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. In January 2000, the court remanded to EPA the issue of whether the Section 8 Churchrock property was Indian Country.
Uranium Resources (OTCBB: URRE) is a uranium exploration, development and mining company with properties in south Texas and New Mexico. URI is conducting a feasibility study of the Churchrock in-situ recovery project and is identifying available resources in New Mexico. The company’s news release states that URI plans to “fully exploit its resource base in Texas and New Mexico to take advantage of the strong global market for uranium.”
