The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 authorize the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to issue licenses for the possession and use of source material and byproduct material. These statutes require NRC to license facilities that meet NRC regulatory requirements that were developed to protect public health and safety from radiological hazards. In-situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery facilities must meet NRC regulatory requirements in order to obtain a source material license to operate.