Jun 29 2015
AZARGA URANIUM CORP. notes that progress continues with respect to the review of various contentions decided in the 30 April 2015 decision of the United States Atomic Safety and Licensing Board pertaining to the NRC Final Source and Byproduct Materials License for the Dewey Burdock Uranium Project (as announced by the Company on 27 May 2015).
In the announcement of 27 May 2015, Azarga noted that all parties had petitioned the President-appointed Commission of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ("the Commission") for a review on various contentions of the ASLB decision.
On 22 June 2015, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Powertech (USA) Inc. ("Powertech") filed responses to each of the petitions for review to the Commission submitted by the two intervening parties, the Consolidated Intervenors and the Oglala Sioux Tribe (together the "Intervenors"). The NRC staff filed responses supporting Powertech's petition and opposing the Intervenors' petitions, while of the Intervenors, only the Oglala Sioux Tribe filed a response to the Powertech and NRC staff petitions for review within the assigned timeframe. All parties now have until 2 July 2015 to file brief responses to the recent filings.
Azarga believes the main elements of the ASLB's partial initial decision were correct but that the ASLB was incorrect in determining that additional consultation between the NRC staff and the Oglala Sioux Tribe is needed to fulfill the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA") and the National Historic Preservation Act ("NHPA").
Alexander Molyneux, Chairman and CEO of Azarga stated, "based on our legal advice we will focus on this review process to get the best and cleanest licensing outcome for our Dewey Burdock Uranium Project and in the meantime we are pleased that our NRC Final License remains in good standing." He then went on to say, "we anticipate hearing back from the Commission within two months, albeit if they haven't completed the review in that time they may notify us they need more time."