Group sues over Cotter uranium mill cleanup

By The AP
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

DENVER — A citizens group has filed a lawsuit accusing Colorado regulators of failing to require Cotter Corp. to set aside enough money to clean up its uranium mill in Canon City.

Colorado Citizens Against Toxic Waste filed the lawsuit in Denver District Court against the state health department and others.

It says the department has estimated it will cost at least $43 million to decommission and decontaminate Cotter’s mill, which is a Superfund site, but that the state let Cotter set its financial surety at just $20.2 million.

The health department had not officially been served with the suit as of this morning and had no comment.

A Cotter representative did not immediately return a phone message today seeking comment.