URANIUM WATCH
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Moab, Utah
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January 20, 2010
Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Suit Demanding
DOE Open Records on Uranium Leasing ProgramU.S. District Court Judge Wiley Y. Daniel ruled that a coalition of conservation groups could question officials and obtain the records from the Department of Energy (DOE) on the uranium mine leasing program in southwestern Colorado. The suit was filed by the Energy Minerals Law Center on behalf of Colorado Environmental Coalition, Information Network for Responsible Mining, Center for Native Ecosystems, and Center for Biological Diversity. The objective was the protection of the water quality and wildlife habitat near the Dolores and San Miguel Rivers. Mines in the DOE leasing program would be one of the sources of uranium ore for the proposed Piñon Ridge Uranium Mill in the Paradox Valley, which threatens the air and quality and the economic resources of the Paradox Valley area.
• News Articles
~ Telluride Daily Planet
~ Colorado Independent
• DOE Uranium Leasing ProgramJanuary 15, 2010
Citizens Provide Testimony at Protest Hearings on Water for Nuclear Reactor in Green River
Citizens of Green River and Grand County, Utah, along with representatives of state and national organizations provided testimony at the Division of Water Right's all-day hearings in Green River on January 12. The Kane County and San Juan County Water Conservancy Districts' legal representative, John Mabey, Blue Castle Holdings Inc. CEO Aaron Tilton, and their experts gave a lengthy presentation in support of the proposed transfer of water rights from the Colorado River and San Juan Rivers to the Green River for Blue Castle Project.
The Applicant's testimony was short on specifics about the impacts of the withdrawal of the water, the economic feasibility of the project; who would license, construct and operate the power plant; the structures that would be used to divert and transport the water to the proposed reactor site; and what would happen to the high level nuclear waste produced by the reactor. Aaron Tilton claimed that Blue Castle Holdings had an agreement to purchase the site for the reactor, which is not true. BCH has not purchased the site and does not have a purchase agreement with Emery County.
Protesters presented testimony on the impacts of the withdrawal of
74 cubic feet per second (53,600 acre feet) on the Green River environment, the lack of available water over time due to other water use commitments and climate change, agreements that must be met in support of endangered fish species, the physical and economic feasibility of the project, lack of specific information and data, and adverse impacts to local agricultural and recreational uses and the community.The State Engineer has held the record open until March 1 to receive additional testimony from all the parties.
• Hearing Presentations and Testimony
• Audio Recording of Hearings
• Hearing Documents
• Information About the Blue Castle Generation Project
• News Articles
~ Moab Times Independent
~ Salt Lake Tribune
~ Grand Junction SentinelJanuary 6, 2010
Protest Hearings on Water for Nuclear Reactor to be Held January 12 in Green River, Utah
On January 12, 2010, the Utah Division of Water Rights will hold hearings on the protests of the Kane County and San Juan County Water Conservancy Districts' change applications for the provision of water from the Green River for a proposed nuclear power plant. The hearings on the requests to change the point of diversion, place of use, and nature of use for 29,600 acre-feet of water from the Colorado River and 24,000 acre-feet of water from the San Juan River. The water has been leased to Blue Castle Holdings Inc. (BCH, formerly Transition Power Development LLC) for the nuclear reactor that BCH wants to site a few miles west of Green River.
The public is urged to attend and may have an opportunity to voice their concerns. The hearings start at 9:00 a.m. and will likely continue throughout the day. For more information, contact Uranium Watch via e-mail or 435-210-0166.
• Notice
• Information About the Blue Castle Generation Project
• Hearing Location -
John Wesley Powell Museum
1765 East Main
Green River, Utah
• Time - 9:00 a.mJanuary 4, 2010
Report: Nuclear Power: The Critical Question
The Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS), World Information Service on Energy (WISE), and Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) have issued Nuclear Power: The Critical Question: First hand reports from the frontlines of the nuclear fuel chain. The 40-page booklet provides first-hand reports about citizens directly impacted by the nuclear fuel cycle world wide. From the open pit mining of uranium in New Mexico, to Chernobyl, to reactor operations in France, to reprocessing at Sellafield, the stories the show the real life impacts of the nuclear fuel cycle.
• Report Cover
• Nuclear Power: The Critical Question
January 2, 2010Utah Division of Radiation Control Proposes Rule
for the Disposal of Depleted Uranium -
Comments Due February 2, 2010The Utah Division of Radiation Control (DRC) is accepting public comment on a proposed change to its rules regarding land disposal of depleted uranium (DU). The Utah Radiation Control Rule R313-25-8 proposed change involves “License Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste – Technical Analysis.” The proposed rule incorporates language regarding a site-specific performance assessment for facilities that accept depleted uranium for land disposal, prior to the disposal of significant quantities of depleted uranium. The EnergySolutions site in Tooele County has received shipments of DU from the Department of Energy, and plans to receive more.
The DRC will hold a public meeting on January 26 at 6 p.m. in Room 101, Airport East Business Building (Bldg #2), 168 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City.
Mail comments to:
Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Radiation Control
Room 212, Airport East Business Building (Bldg #2)
168 North 1950 West.
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4850• Public Notice
• Proposed Rule
December 20, 2009Colorado Department of Public Health
and Environment Finds Piñon Ridge Mill
Application to be CompleteThe Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) announced their determination that the Energy Fuels Resources Inc. application for the Piñon Ridge Uranium Mill was complete. The CDPHE will begin its technical review of the application for the mill in the Paradox Valley in southwest Colorado.
Energy Fuels will hold its first public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at Nucla High School, 225 W. 4th Ave. in Nucla. The meeting is not for the submittal of comments on the application that will be considered by the CDPHE.
Public comments will be accepted by the CDPHE throughout the review process. People may comment about the application at public meetings to be announced, via e-mail to cdphe.hmenergyfuels@state.co.us, via fax to (303) 759-5355, or by writing to Steve Tarlton or Warren Smith at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Radiation Program, 4300 Cherry Creek Dr. So., Denver, CO 80246-1530.
• Public Notice
• Application and Related DocumentsDecember 12 , 2009
Draft Environmental Documents for Three ISL Uranium Recovery Facilities Available for Public Comment - Comments Due February 1, 2010
Three draft Supplemental Environment Impact Statements (SEISs) for in situ leach (ISL) uranium recovery operations in Wyoming have been made available for public comment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The draft Supplemental Environment Impacts Statements are for license applications for Uranium One's Moore Ranch Project, Campbell County; the Lost Creek Project in Sweetwater County, proposed by Lost Creek ISR, LLC; and Uranerz Energy Corporation's Nichols Ranch Project, Campbell and Johnson Counties. More Information:
• NRC Press Release
• Federal Register Notice - Moore Ranch
• Federal Register Notice - Lost Creek
• Federal Register Notice - Nichols Ranch
November 15 , 2009New Denison Mines Tailings Cell Would Destroy
Ancient Cultural ResourcesThe new tailings impoundment that Denison Mines Corporation proposes for their uranium mill on White Mesa would cause the destruction of approximately 14 archeological sites on the Mesa. The original construction of the mill in southeastern Utah caused the destruction of pre-historic habitations and other sites where early residents of the four corners area lived and processed food that they had hunted and gathered. Cell 4B would impact over 50 acres. The archeological sites would be "mitigated," that is, the sites would be opened up and artifacts and other information about the sites would be gathered and placed in a museum. None of the artifacts collected in the late 1970s or early 1980s were ever put on display.
The Utah Division of Radiation Control (DRC) must develop an environmental assessment and approve a license amendment to construct the new tailings impoundment. The environmental assessment and draft amendment will be made available for public comment. If the DRC does not schedule a public hearing in Blanding, a hearing can be requested.
• Application, Engineering Report, Environmental Report, and Cultural Resources Information
HOW TO LOCATE LICENSING DOCUMENTS IN THE NRC ELECTRONIC READING ROOM (ADAMS):
1. Go to http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html
2. Click on Web-based access / Begin ADAMS search / Advanced Search
3. Enter Docket Number in the Docket Number box.
4. Sort by Document Date in Descending order. Some document packages are undated and are found at of beginning of end of list of documents in Descending order and at beginning of list of documents in Ascending order.
Read more about how to access NRC documents . . . .- NEWS ARCHIVE -
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Updated February 5, 2010
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