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Atlas tailings pile press release
RADSAFERS,
This is the press release that went out on Friday about the Moab pile Al T.
was talking about last week.
Richardson Announces Agreement For Moab Tailings Cleanup
and Historic Return of Land to Native Americans
Major Environmental and Energy Initiative Aims to Protect and
Enhance Two American Treasures - Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Energy Secretary Bill Richardson today announces an agreement for the
largest voluntary return of land to Native Americans in the lower 48
states in more than a century; for the cleanup and removal of 10.5
million tons of radioactive mill tailings from the doorstep of two
national treasures -- Arches National Park and Canyonlands National
Park, near Moab, Utah. The agreement also will provide for additional
environmental protection for a 75-mile stretch of the Green River.
Richardson made the announcement at Fort Duchesne on the Ute Indian
Tribe reservation and in Moab.
"Today, we're doing the right thing -- the right thing for the
environment, the right thing for the Utes, and the right thing for the
American people," Richardson said.
The agreement was signed by Secretary Richardson, Interior Secretary
Bruce Babbitt, Ute Tribal Business Committee Chairman O. Roland McCook
Sr. and Utah Governor Michael Leavitt.
"In 1882, the United States identified lands in eastern Utah that were
to remain Tribal property for all time. Regrettably, this promise,
like so many given to the Tribe over the years, proved to be false,
said McCook, Chairman of the Ute Tribe's governing body. "As a result
of the leadership of Secretary Richardson, however, a portion of the
promise is now to be fulfilled. The return of our traditional
homelands is not only a great day for the Tribe and its membership,
but also may well mark a new beginning for Indian Country as a whole."
Gov. Leavitt added, "The people of Utah appreciate and applaud
Secretary Richardson and the U.S. Department of Energy for taking this
bold action to address two longtime issues in our state: the return of
the Ute Tribe's land to Tribal ownership and control, and a plan to
further address the environmental problems posed by the Atlas tailings
in Moab."
"This agreement in principle is a great first step," said Interior
Secretary Bruce Babbitt. "There are still, of course, many issues that
have to be worked out, but we are moving forward in a very positive,
productive way to restore this landscape. This area is the historical
home of the Ute people. It is a gateway to two magnificent national
parks, Arches and Canyonlands. It deserves our best restoration
efforts."
Under the agreement, the Department of Energy's Naval Oil Shale
Reserve No. 2, an undeveloped tract of land in the northeastern corner
of the state, would be returned to the Ute Tribe. The land, which is
rich in oil shale deposits, was taken from the Ute reservation in 1916
for use as a potential source of fuel for the Navy's oil-burning
ships.
The Ute Tribe has agreed to establish a 1/4-mile land corridor for a
75-mile stretch of the Green River that will be protected as
environmentally sensitive. The Green River, one of the nation's most
scenic and famous rivers, winds across eastern Utah through miles of
undeveloped backcountry and ancient canyons. Additionally, a portion
of any royalties from future energy production on the lands would go
into a fund to help clean up the nation's fifth largest pile of uranium
mill tailings located near Moab, Utah.
The uranium mill tailings are the radioactive contaminated waste
products from nearly three decades of uranium mining operations. The
waste sits in a 100-foot mound at the doorstep of two national parks,
Arches and Canyonlands. The tailings contain low levels of
radioactivity from uranium, radium, as well as hazardous materials such
as arsenic, lead, mercury and other chemicals and metals left by the
processes used to separate the uranium from the ore. Under the
agreement reached today, the Department of Energy will seek funding and
authority to remove the tailings and clean up the site. The clean up
would be regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC),
with participation by the state of Utah.
"The time to act is now," Richardson said. "Radioactive waste sits at
the gateway of two national parks -- Arches and Canyonlands. This area
is a geological wonderland, nestled in a valley with scenic red cliffs
and surrounded by rugged, beautiful desert terrain. The Department of
Energy has the expertise and experience to relocate the material in a
secure, permanent location that is safely away from the Colorado River
and the national parks."
Estimated cost to move the tailings away from Moab is about $300
million. The uranium waste resulted from mill operations at the site
from 1956 to 1984. Denver-based Atlas Corp., which owned the site
from 1962 through 1984, filed for bankruptcy two years ago. The NRC,
which had been working with the Atlas Corporation for more than a
decade to select and implement a final cleanup plan, recently
appointed a trustee to manage the work.
"Today's agreement gives us the momentum we need for congressional
action," Richardson explained. From the agreement, the Clinton/Gore
Administration will be seeking legislation to carry out the land
transfer and the mill tailings cleanup.
- DOE -
At 09:53 AM 1/14/00 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >By the way, how should we handle the "problem" of the Moab tailings pile?
> >
> >Al Tschaeche antatnsu@pacbell.net
>
>Secretary Richardson will be in Moab today to answer your question! Good
>timing Al,
>Phil Egidi
>ORNL/GJ
>7pe@ornl.gov
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