Wyoming Advances Nuclear Plans as Communities Request Constraint while feds rush to expand industry

Wyoming’s nuclear ambitions are reshaping state policy and stirring community debate.

TerraPower’s 2021 proposal to build an advanced Natrium nuclear power plant near Kemmerer has prompted Wyoming lawmakers to amend the state’s nuclear waste storage ban, permitting storage of spent fuel from in-state reactors. This legislative change reflects a step toward accommodating nuclear energy development and uranium mining expansion amid long-standing environmental concerns.

The state’s Department of Environmental Quality assumed primacy over federal regulatory oversight in 2018, asserting standards that exceed federal requirements. Meanwhile, Radiant Industries withdrew its Natrona County microreactor project after failing to secure regulatory leniency on waste storage. The Trump administration’s ongoing overhaul of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission aims to expedite permitting, with seventeen to eighteen rule changes expected soon and finalization targeted by November’s end. Community voices remain divided, highlighting risks and the need for clear benefits, especially given Wyoming’s fraught history with uranium contamination and Indigenous lands.

NRC rule proposals and public comment periods are expected in the coming weeks, which could influence legislative and community engagement around nuclear waste policies.

While Montana is not directly involved, its proximity to Wyoming and shared Western heritage could influence regional energy discourse and economic considerations around nuclear technology, regulatory shifts, and environmental stewardship. Montana businesses might watch Wyoming’s evolving framework as a potential indicator of broader trends affecting resource development and cross-border collaboration.

Wyoming communities want time to consider embracing nuclear energy, as feds rush to expand industry

By Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile