Dear Editor, As the parent company of Roca Honda Resources, Energy Fuels appreciates the thoughtful discussion in the Cibola Citizen's Sept. 30 editorial regarding proposed uranium mining projects in the Grants District. We recognize that uranium mining and milling practices decades ago left lasting impacts on communities and the environment. Those experiences should inform today's decisions. Importantly, the period that produced the most impacts, from the 1940s through the 1960s, was largely driven by a Cold War-era U.S. government weapons program, not the commercial nuclear energy industry that uranium supports today. At the same time, modern uranium projects operate under different regulations, technologies, and environmental safeguards than those that existed 50 to 80-plus years ago. Today, uranium is used to fuel nuclear energy, America’s largest source of clean, carbon free electricity, providing roughly 20% of U.S. electricity and about half the nation’s emissions-free power.
In response to concerns raised in the editorial, we offer the following perspective.
Protecting Water Resources
Protecting water resources begins long before mining starts. Today, surface water and groundwater must be thoroughly inventoried, sampled, and characterized through baseline studies required by state and federal regulators. This level of review did not exist during earlier uranium development.
For Roca Honda, groundwater modeling conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, Office of the State Engineer, New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division, and New Mexico Environment Department found that mining would not affect existing water supply wells serving San Mateo, Grants, or Milan. The analysis also concluded that springs, including Horace Springs, would not be impacted. Where potential impacts are identified, regulators can require replacement water supplies. In Roca Honda's case, three wells would be replaced under Office of the State Engineer requirements.
Questions about water deserve careful scrutiny and are evaluated through extensive scientific review and regulatory oversight before any project can proceed.
Public Involvement
Modern mine permitting includes multiple opportunities for public participation. Major permits require public notice, comment periods, and public hearings through agencies including the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division, New Mexico Environment Department, and U.S. Forest Service.
We agree with the editorial that regulatory requirements alone should not be the full answer. Companies seeking to operate in the Grants District must also engage directly with community members, answer questions, explain uncertainties, and earn public trust. We remain committed to that process.
Tribal Stakeholders
The editorial rightly highlights the disproportionate impacts that historical uranium development had on tribal communities. Those experiences deserve respect and must help shape future decisions.
Energy Fuels and industry partners have engaged with tribal representatives and recently organized a tour of uranium mines and mills in Utah and Wyoming at the request of Laguna and Acoma Pueblos. The purpose was not to seek endorsement, but to provide an opportunity to observe modern mining and milling practices firsthand.
That engagement has already influenced project planning. Roca Honda was redesigned to remove a mine shaft and headframe originally proposed on Forest Service land within the Mt. Taylor Traditional Cultural Property area. We remain committed to ongoing engagement and addressing community concerns whenever possible.
Financial Assurance State and federal regulations require mining companies seeking permits to post a bond or other financial assurance sufficient to cover the full cost of an agencyapproved reclamation and closure plan. Those funds remain available even if a company is unable to complete reclamation itself.
Many of New Mexico's “legacy” uranium sites predate these bonding requirements, which is one reason so many remain unreclaimed today. While companies currently pursuing new projects did not create those legacy sites, we recognize the importance of addressing that history and support continued efforts to remediate abandoned uranium mines across the state.
Employment and Economic Opportunities
The benefits of development should extend beyond those directly employed at a mine. That means prioritizing local hiring, purchasing goods and services locally, and partnering with schools and workforce training programs to help residents build skills for long-term careers.
Modern uranium projects can provide well-paying careers across technical, skilled-trade, and operations positions while generating broader economic benefits for surrounding communities. Energy Fuels has supported scholarship and workforce development programs and investments in institutions such as New Mexico Tech and NMSU Grants that prepare students for careers in mining and related industries.
The benefits also extend beyond direct employment. According to an independent economic impact study prepared for the Roca Honda project, the mine was projected to generate approximately $44.5 million in tax revenue, more than $1 billion in total economic activity, approximately $355 million in salaries, and $81 million in state and local revenue over the life of the project.
Energy Fuels’ commitment to the communities where we operate extends beyond mining. Through our work with the San Juan County Clean Energy Foundation, we have supported local communities through financial contributions, scholarships, and community programs that help create opportunities and address local needs. Our operations are located in rural communities across the Southwest, where we recognize that being a responsible operator means being a good neighbor, building lasting relationships, and contributing to the long-term wellbeing of the people who call these places home. We believe community engagement is demonstrated through sustained involvement and tangible contributions— not simply through words or regulatory compliance.
We appreciate the concerns expressed in the editorial. Questions about water, community involvement, and long-term accountability deserve serious discussion. We welcome that conversation and look forward to continued engagement with residents, tribal communities, elected leaders, and regulators.