Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), released Tuesday a statement in support of the petition by multiple uranium producers for an investigation into the effects of uranium imports on U.S. national security.
On Monday, American uranium producers Energy Fuels and Ur-Energy jointly submitted, under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, a petition for relief to the U.S. Commerce Department to investigate the impacts on America’s national security of uranium imports from foreign state-owned firms.
“America’s ability to produce uranium is crucial to power our economy and keep our nation safe,” Barrasso said. “It’s not only an energy security issue, it is a national security issue. The Trump administration needs to expedite this investigation and take action to preserve this vital industry.”
Imports of uranium from state-owned and state-subsidized organizations in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan fulfill approximately 40 percent of U.S. demand, while American production meets less than 5 percent. Nuclear power plants in the United States receive approximately 90 percent of their nuclear fuel from foreign sources.
“For years, government-owned uranium producers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan have unfairly flooded American markets with cheap uranium,” Barrasso said. “As a result, uranium production in the United States has fallen to the lowest levels we have seen since the early 1950s.”
Wyoming is responsible for more than half of all uranium production in the United States.