Uranium mining is a top issue for both state and federal officials.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in late May with the stated aim to “accelerate the secure and responsible development, demonstration, deployment, and export” of nuclear technology — a call the 89th Texas Legislature heeded with a bill to amend barriers in the state to an important step in that process: uranium mining.
Senate Bill (SB) 1061 by state Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound), already on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, will adjust the permitting process for uranium mining operations by streamlining certain applications, particularly by eliminating contested case hearings for qualifying proposals.
The bill also makes explicit that it will “prioritize the conservation of regional ground water supplies” during application reviews.
During a Senate Natural Resources Committee meeting in March, a number of expert witnesses spoke to the necessity of the legislation. Ty Embrey of the Texas Mining and Reclamation Association said that SB 1061 will “help the nuclear cycle in the state of Texas.” Peter Luthiger, now former Chief Operating Officer of enCore Energy Corporation, spoke on how the bill would create a way for mining applicants to “more effectively plan and schedule the work” for uranium extraction “that is feeding the reactors not only in the U.S. but also the reactors here in Texas.”
According to a 2024 report, there are only two companies operating uranium mining in Texas — Uranium Energy Corp. (UEC) with five project cites, and enCore Energy, which operates six mining locations. Only two locations, the Rosita and Alta Mesa Project, are currently operating.
Imported uranium concentrate, which is used to power nuclear generators, accounts for 99 percent of the nuclear concentrate used to make nuclear fuel in the U.S.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not directly regulate active uranium recovery operations in Texas, as the state is designated an Agreement State, meaning it has a formal agreement with the NRC to independently oversee and enforce regulations on these activities.
Another piece of legislation, House Bill (HB) 14, will also work to bolster Texas’ development of nuclear power through the creation of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office and a new fund to provide grants for new nuclear generation developers. Bill author, state Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine), said the bill is an acknowledgement that Texas is “in a race with China and Russia to become the worldwide leader in advanced nuclear deployment, and that Texas must win that race.”
The new fund is just one part of a broader effort made to meet the growing energy demands being placed on the Texas electric grid.
