Oklahoma congressman Markwayne Mullin is among 20 members of congress who find themselves at odds with President Trump over allowing nuclear power plant operators to import more uranium.
He and 19 others sent a letter last week to the President urging him to restrict the uranium imports so U.S. mining companies would have a larger share of the American market for nuclear fuel. But on Friday, the President decided to lift restrictions, something that was considered a blow to two mining companies, Ur-Energy USA and Energy Fuels Resources.
The two contended that imports were pushing U.S. uranium production to the brink of collapse, according to a report by POLITICO’s Morning Energy Report. They had asked the President to impose a quota requiring that 25 percent of domestic uranium consumption be met by U.S. Producers.
Trump’s Friday decision not to do so is at odds with a Commerce Department determination that the uranium imports pose a national security risk. Trump instead wrote in a memo that he did not concur with the secretary’s finding, but said “a fuller analysis of national security considerations with respect to the entire nuclear fuel supply chain is necessary at this time.”
Trump ordered the formation of a Nuclear Fuel Working Group to look for ways to “reinvigorate the entire nuclear fuel supply chain,” with a particular focus on defense needs, which will be co-chaired by national security adviser John Bolton and economic adviser Larry Kudlow.
Weighing in: The Ad Hoc Utilities Group in a statement said it was “pleased” with the determination. “It is clear the Trump administration recognizes the enormous economic and resiliency benefits that the U.S. nuclear energy industry provides to Americans,” the group said.
But Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso called the announcement a “missed opportunity” for uranium producers, who “deserve to compete on a level playing field.” Barrasso added in a statement: “America should not rely on Vladimir Putin and his satellites to supply our uranium. It’s dangerous and unacceptable.” (More than 20 Republican lawmakers made a similar argument in a letter Friday.)
As for the letter, Rep. Mullin and others argued nuclear is the “cleanest, most reliable energy source in the United States.”
“Domestic production for calendar year 2019 is on pace to be a fraction of 1% of total demand and we will import roughly 99% of what we need from foreign countries, namely foreign adversaries Russia, Kazakhstan and China.”
The members of congress charged that Russian and its allies flood the global market with uranium “making it impossible for America and other free market economies to compete. Meanwhile, quietly and gradually, China has been buying up previously free market uranium mines to control global supply.”
Mullin and the other Representatives contend that the U.S. is jeopardizing national security by relying on “nations that have demonstrated their will to undermine our defense infrastructure and our economy, and to do us harm.”