Uranium Watch: Utah Bulletin April2009


Uranium Watch — Utah Bulletin Vol. 3 \| No. 3 \| April 2O1O ◊ May 4 Hearing on Expansion of White Mesa Uranium Mill — Public Comments Due May 10 The Utah Division of Radiation Control will hold a public meeting on May 4, 2010, to receive oral and written comments on the construction of a new tailings impoundment at the White Mesa Uranium Mill and on changes to the Ground Water Quality Discharge Permit. The construction of the new tailings impoundment will destroy ancient cultural sites, including pit house compounds on White Mesa. Archaeological excavation has already begun in the area of the new tailings Cell 4B. Ten sites will be excavated, then covered by overburden or destroyed as the tailings cell is constructed. Place: Blanding Arts and Events Center Utah State/College of Eastern Utah Campus 715 West 200 South Blanding, Utah Time: 7 pm to 8 pm - Comments on the Cell 4B, License Amendment 4 8 pm to 9 pm – Comments on Ground Water Quality Discharge Permit Written Comments: Public comments are invited prior to 5:00 pm on May 10, 2010. E-mail to: pgoble@utah.gov Mail to: Division of Radiation Control, P.O. 144850, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4850. Major Changes Include: • Prohibition for use and/or operation of any disposal cell or related new facility without prior approval of financial surety. • Submittal of updated Reclamation Plan and Specifications for approval, including reclamation of Tailings Cell 4B. • Installation of at least 3 new groundwater compliance monitoring wells downgradient of Cell 4B.• Submittal of hydrogeological study report of nearby seeps and Ruin Spring. Additional Information: Contact Phil Goble at 801/536-4044 or pgoble@utah.gov • Tailings Cell 4B Proposed Construction Application: http://www.radiationcontrol.utah.gov/Uranium_Mills/index.htm • Public Notice, Draft License and Permit, Statement of Basis, Safety Evaluation Report: http://www.radiationcontrol.utah.gov/Uranium_Mills/IUC/cell4b/permitMod_licenseAmend.htm • 2004 White Mesa Archeological Sites Report: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/denisonmill.ut/whitemesa_archeologicalsites_report.040630.pdf • White Mesa Mill: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/denisonmill.ut.htm ◊ Water Districts to Respond to Supplemental Testimony on Water for Nuclear Reactor in Green River On April 6, John Mabey, counsel for the Kane County and San Juan County Water Conservancy Districts informed the State Engineer that the Districts were reviewing the supplemental testimony filed by the protestants and will file a reply. Parties to the protest of the withdrawal of water from the Green River for the proposed Blue Castle Project nuclear power station filed additional testimony on March 1. The proposal would allow the withdrawal of 53,600 acre-feet of water per year for the proposed 2-unit reactor. The Districts leased the water for the project in 2007. • Testimony: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/dwr_greenriverhearings_2010.htm • DWR Documents: http://waterrights.utah.gov/cgi-bin/docview.exe?Folder=89-74 • Additional Information: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/bluecastle.htm ◊ BLM Reviewing New Plan of Operation for Mine in Emery County The Price Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reviewing a plan by Carnotite LLC to re-open a uranium mine in the Buckmaster Draw Mining District. The Carnotite West 8 Ball #3 is located approximately 3 miles north of I-70 on Emery County Road EM1029, a few miles west of Green River. The Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining has issued a conditional approval, dependent on the receipt of the reclamation bond. The plan submitted to the BLM and other mine records are on the DOGM mine permit website: http://www.ogm.utah.gov/fs/mineralsfilesbypermit.php?S0150097 (Enter ogmguest as username and password.) Contact Chris Conrad, Price BLM Office: 435/636-3667 or Christopher_Conrad@blm.gov ◊ Forest Service Approves Exploration and New Vent Holes at the Pandora Mine in La Sal The Monticello Office of the Manti-La Sal National Forest has approved the construction of 16 exploration drill holes at the Pandora Uranium Mine and 2 new vent holes needed to vent radon as the mine moves further from the surface facilities. The Forest Service did not evaluate the whole Denison Mines Corp. operation or the cumulative impacts of uranium mining in La Sal, leaving that to the Environment Assessment to be developed soon with the BLM. Contact Joel Nowak: 435/636-3364, or joelnowak@fs.fed.us ◊ Donate Online or Send Check to Support Uranium Watch Uranium Watch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit under the fiscal sponsorship of Living Rivers (www.livingrivers.org). Donations are tax deductible and greatly appreciated. Make checks out to Uranium Watch and mail to Uranium Watch, P.O. Box 344, Moab, Utah 84532. Or, Donate Online.
Uranium Watch • 435-210-0166 • 76 S Main #7 • PO Box 344 • Moab, Utah 84532

Uranium Watch — Utah Bulletin

Vol. 3 | No. 3 | April 2O1O

◊ May 4 Hearing on Expansion of White Mesa Uranium Mill — Public Comments Due May 10

The Utah Division of Radiation Control will hold a public meeting on May 4, 2010, to receive oral and written comments on the construction of a new tailings impoundment at the White Mesa Uranium Mill and on changes to the Ground Water Quality Discharge Permit. The construction of the new tailings impoundment will destroy ancient cultural sites, including pit house compounds on White Mesa. Archaeological excavation has already begun in the area of the new tailings Cell 4B. Ten sites will be excavated, then covered by overburden or destroyed as the tailings cell is constructed.

Place: Blanding Arts and Events Center
            Utah State/College of Eastern Utah Campus
            715 West 200 South
            Blanding, Utah
Time: 7 pm to 8 pm - Comments on the Cell 4B, License Amendment 4
            8 pm to 9 pm – Comments on Ground Water Quality Discharge Permit

Written Comments: Public comments are invited prior to 5:00 pm on May 10, 2010.
E-mail to: pgoble@utah.gov
Mail to: Division of Radiation Control, P.O. 144850, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4850.

Major Changes Include:

• Prohibition for use and/or operation of any disposal cell or related new facility without prior approval of financial surety.
• Submittal of updated Reclamation Plan and Specifications for approval, including reclamation of Tailings Cell 4B.
• Installation of at least 3 new groundwater compliance monitoring wells downgradient of Cell 4B.• Submittal of hydrogeological study report of nearby seeps and Ruin Spring.

Additional Information:

Contact Phil Goble at 801/536-4044 or pgoble@utah.gov

• Tailings Cell 4B Proposed Construction Application:
http://www.radiationcontrol.utah.gov/Uranium_Mills/index.htm
• Public Notice, Draft License and Permit, Statement of Basis, Safety Evaluation Report: http://www.radiationcontrol.utah.gov/Uranium_Mills/IUC/cell4b/permitMod_licenseAmend.htm
• 2004 White Mesa Archeological Sites Report: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/denisonmill.ut/whitemesa_archeologicalsites_report.040630.pdf
• White Mesa Mill: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/denisonmill.ut.htm

◊ Water Districts to Respond to Supplemental Testimony on Water for Nuclear Reactor in Green River

On April 6, John Mabey, counsel for the Kane County and San Juan County Water Conservancy Districts informed the State Engineer that the Districts were reviewing the supplemental testimony filed by the protestants and will file a reply.

Parties to the protest of the withdrawal of water from the Green River for the proposed Blue Castle Project nuclear power station filed additional testimony on March 1. The proposal would allow the withdrawal of 53,600 acre-feet of water per year for the proposed 2-unit reactor. The Districts leased the water for the project in 2007.

• Testimony: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/dwr_greenriverhearings_2010.htm
• DWR Documents: http://waterrights.utah.gov/cgi-bin/docview.exe?Folder=89-74
• Additional Information: http://www.uraniumwatch.org/bluecastle.htm

◊ BLM Reviewing New Plan of Operation for Mine in Emery County

The Price Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reviewing a plan by Carnotite LLC to re-open a uranium mine in the Buckmaster Draw Mining District. The Carnotite West 8 Ball #3 is located approximately 3 miles north of I-70 on Emery County Road EM1029, a few miles west of Green River. The Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining has issued a conditional approval, dependent on the receipt of the reclamation bond.

The plan submitted to the BLM and other mine records are on the DOGM mine permit website: http://www.ogm.utah.gov/fs/mineralsfilesbypermit.php?S0150097
(Enter ogmguest as username and password.) Contact Chris Conrad, Price BLM Office: 435/636-3667 or Christopher_Conrad@blm.gov

◊ Forest Service Approves Exploration and New Vent Holes at the Pandora Mine in La Sal

The Monticello Office of the Manti-La Sal National Forest has approved the construction of 16 exploration drill holes at the Pandora Uranium Mine and 2 new vent holes needed to vent radon as the mine moves further from the surface facilities. The Forest Service did not evaluate the whole Denison Mines Corp. operation or the cumulative impacts of uranium mining in La Sal, leaving that to the Environment Assessment to be developed soon with the BLM. Contact Joel Nowak: 435/636-3364, or joelnowak@fs.fed.us

◊ Donate Online or Send Check to Support Uranium Watch

Uranium Watch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit under the fiscal sponsorship of Living Rivers (www.livingrivers.org). Donations are tax deductible and greatly appreciated. Make checks out to Uranium Watch and mail to Uranium Watch, P.O. Box 344, Moab, Utah 84532. Or, Donate Online.

Uranium Watch • 435-210-0166 • 76 S Main #7 • PO Box 344 • Moab, Utah 84532