A major uranium project in South Dakota has cleared another regulatory hurdle, bringing it closer to supplying domestic nuclear fuel as the United States works to strengthen its critical mineral and energy supply chains. The latest decision marks another step toward advancing one of the country’s key uranium development projects.

enCore Energy said the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission completed an Environmental Assessment and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Dewey Burdock Uranium Project. The decision supports renewal of the project’s Source Materials License for another 20 years, leaving a safety evaluation as the final major review before the license can move forward.

Final review remains

Federal regulators stated they will renew the license if the project continues to satisfy construction and operational safety requirements for its planned in-situ recovery facility. enCore, through its subsidiary Powertech USA, has already submitted the information required for that review.

The agency also approved a Programmatic Agreement covering compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. The framework establishes a phased process to evaluate and protect cultural and historic resources as development advances, allowing engineering work and environmental oversight to progress under a defined process.

William M. Sheriff, executive chair of enCore Energy, welcomed the decision and called the environmental findings an important step toward renewing the project’s operating license. He said the company supports the agency’s view that the development could deliver economic benefits during construction and long-term operations. Sheriff added that enCore remains focused on safety and environmental stewardship throughout the project’s life cycle.

ISR technology in focus

Dewey Burdock spans 10,580 acres in South Dakota and ranks among the country’s advanced-stage uranium developments. Most of the site sits on private land, with a smaller portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

The project plans to produce yellowcake using in-situ recovery technology, which circulates an oxygen- and water-based solution through underground ore bodies instead of excavating large open pits. Engineers favor the approach because it minimizes surface disruption and relies on established production methods that have operated for decades across the uranium industry.

The Bureau of Land Management recently authorized construction of access roads, groundwater monitoring wells, and overhead power infrastructure on public land within the project area. Those approvals allow crews to begin building essential site infrastructure before full production activities start.

Dewey Burdock also joined the Fast-41 permitting program last year, giving it access to an accelerated federal review process reserved for priority infrastructure and critical mineral projects. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission serves as the lead agency for that effort, which aims to improve coordination across multiple federal agencies without reducing regulatory standards.

If the final safety review concludes successfully, the project will secure a renewed 20-year license and move closer to commercial uranium production. The yellowcake produced at the site would supply fuel used by commercial nuclear power plants, supporting a broader federal push to expand domestic uranium production and reduce dependence on foreign sources for a material that remains central to the nation’s energy strategy and long-term national security objectives.

Recommended Articles