Uranium Leasing Program

Stored: Uranium Leasing Program

Uranium Leasing Program
Type	Program
Sponsor Organization	Office of Legacy Management
Top Organization	Department of Energy
Creation Legislation	Atomic Energy Act of 1946
Website	Website
Purpose	Uranium Leasing Program oversees Colorado lands for uranium and vanadium mining, meeting energy and defense needs with strict environmental rules.
Program Start	1948
Initial Funding	Not specified; funded through federal appropriations
Duration	Ongoing
Historic	No

Uranium Leasing Program (ULP) is a Department of Energy initiative administered by the Office of Legacy Management (LM) that oversees 31 lease tracts across approximately 25,000 acres in the Uravan Mineral Belt of southwestern Colorado. The program manages federal lands for the exploration, development, and extraction of uranium and vanadium ores to support national energy and defense needs, ensuring responsible mining through strict environmental standards while providing a domestic source of critical minerals. Initially established to secure uranium for defense purposes, it has evolved to include modern environmental safeguards and economic benefits, such as job creation and royalty payments, with activities resuming in 2019 after a legal hiatus.

Official Site

Goals

Ensure a steady domestic supply of uranium and vanadium for energy and national security.
Implement stringent environmental and safety standards for mining operations.
Support economic development in Colorado through royalties and jobs, targeting operational resumption on all active lease tracts.

Organization

The Uranium Leasing Program is run by the Office of Legacy Management (LM) within the Department of Energy. It administers 29 active lease tracts and two inactive ones, leasing them to private companies like Energy Fuels Resources, Inc., Gold Eagle Mining, Inc., and Highbury Resources, Inc. Funding comes from federal appropriations and lessee royalty payments, with oversight including annual inspections for safety and compliance. Governance follows DOE policies, incorporating National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

The leader of the program holds the title of Uranium Leasing Program Manager, currently Deborah Barr as of 2025.

History

The Uranium Leasing Program began in 1948 when the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), DOE’s predecessor, withdrew lands under the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 to secure uranium for nuclear defense. The first leasing period (1949–1962) yielded 1.2 million pounds of uranium, followed by a second phase (1974–1994) producing 6.5 million pounds. After a 1995 Environmental Assessment, leases continued, but a 2011 court injunction halted activities until a 2014 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and 2019 injunction lift allowed resumption with new 10-year leases in 2020. The program now emphasizes environmental stewardship and domestic supply stability.

Funding

Initial funding details from 1948 are unspecified, but the program has since relied on DOE appropriations and royalties, with payments resuming in January 2021 after a decade-long pause. Funding began with the program’s inception and continues without an end date. The 2020 leases mandate annual royalties, contributing to federal revenue—e.g., payments from four lessees support ongoing operations and environmental compliance.

Implementation

The program leases tracts for exploration, mining, and reclamation, requiring lessees to submit DOE-approved plans and environmental evaluations before activities begin. Methods include site-specific assessments and mitigation plans, with a phased approach: legacy reclamation (1994–2011), lease renewals (2008, 2020), and renewed mining potential since 2019. There is no set end date, with operations tied to market conditions and an estimated 13.5 million pounds of uranium resources remaining.

External links

Social media

None identified

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