Uranium mill licensing requirements in the United States of America

Since the last international symposium on uranium mill tailings management, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission has made significant progress in developing a comprehensive regulatory programme for protecting the public health and safety and the environment from hazards associated with mill tailings. The NRC issued regulations governing mill tailings licensing in October 1980. The bases for the regulations are contained in the Generic Environmental Impact Statement. The significant features of NRC's mill tailings regulations, outlined in this paper, relate to the following areas: (1) long-term isolation; (2) operational controls; (3) radon control; (4) reclamation cover; (5) institutional requirements. (author)