Court Rejects Challenge To Uranium Enrichment Factory Near Eunice

EUNICE, N.M.(AP) – A court has rejected an appeal by two nuclear watchdog groups challenging a decision to approve a license to build a uranium enrichment factory in southeastern New Mexico.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission awarded the license to Louisiana Energy Services in June 2006.

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia yesterday turned aside the appeal by Public Citizen and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service.

The Washington, D.C-based groups contended LES had not shown a plausible strategy to dispose of depleted uranium waste.

Construction of the 1.5 billion dollar National Enrichment Facility has begun five miles east of Eunice.

The factory will make fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. Officials have said the factory could be ready to sell enriched uranium in 2009.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)