Pointing to reasons including the desire to increase the nation’s energy options, the Montrose County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a proposed uranium mill in the Paradox Valley 12 miles west of Naturita.
The controversial project would be the first of its kind to be built in the United States in 25 years, says Energy Fuels Inc., the company behind it. It next goes to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for its review, county Commissioner Gary Ellis said in an interview.
Commissioners attached 19 conditions to their approval of the project and reserved the right to impose more after the county receives the results of a planned environmental assessment, Ellis said.
He said the mill would be located close to uranium mines, provide an economic benefit to the county’s west side and help meet the nation’s energy needs.
“One of my concerns was energy independence on the part of our country,” Ellis said.
Project opponent Michael Saftler of Telluride voiced disappointment in Wednesday’s vote and took issue with the idea that nuclear energy, and the mills required to provide it, can be part of a clean energy future for the United States.
“It’s not appropriate to put it in the context of clean energy, because it’s not clean energy,” Saftler said.
He said the entire process of generating nuclear power, beginning with getting uranium ore out of the ground, is so potentially hazardous “that the end effect is anything but clean.”
The mill proposal has attracted hundreds of people to county planning and commissioner meetings over the last several months. Some said it would provide needed jobs in the region, while others objected to it based on public safety and environmental concerns.
Ellis said he’s confident the state health department review will result in monitoring, dust mitigation and other measures to help ensure the project’s safety. But Saftler doesn’t think the state has a strong regulatory stance on uranium mills.
“I’m not sure how the health and welfare of the county, much less the actual inhabitants of Paradox Valley, are being served by the decision (county commissioners) made,” he said.
A recent report by a Naturita-based group, the Western Small Miners Association, estimated the mill would result in 623 direct jobs and 766 indirect ones. It said increased direct employment would include 85 mill site personnel and 282 mining personnel, along with transportation workers, managers and professionals, and others.
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Comments
By voting taxpayer
Oct 1, 2009 9:43 PM | Link to this
Mike, Mike, Mike You and your liberals need to lead by example. Get rid of your house. Cash in your clunker. Stay away from food stores. And above all don't drink the water. These all come from ENERGY sources. Now the wind blew last night. I'm sure it caused climate change. The tides moved AGAIN. So maybe you can get some Tsunami rolled pork. With any luck at all the sun will come up & you can warm your self's. While LIFE is going on the president took TWO jets to a country to get people to run jump swin skip. Maybe we can buy them goverment run health care/public option too. Hey aren't they here already. Get a cave Mike their caused by renewable ENERGY.
By Trish
Oct 1, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this
As a child I grew up in uranium camps my brothers and i played in the tailing left behind in Nucla and on John Brown Mesa above Gateway Colorado. None of us have any health problems and we are all in our 40's. Also take a look at Europe the have been generating Nuclear power for years. Check your facts people
By drunky
Oct 1, 2009 2:37 PM | Link to this
This is a good deal for the west end of Montrose County. Richard, do some research, it is a uranium mill, not a nuclear "plant", it will be owned and built by a Canadian company called energy fuels. Most of the yellow cake that is produced will be going to Canada and Europe. Talk about green energy, nuclear is base load electrical generation, meaning 24/7, 365, zero greenhouse gas emitter, then you are steel on target with nuclear energy. Do you have any concept on what the daily contribution of green energy (wind, solar, biomass) electrical generation is to the U.S.A.? less than 1 percent of the daily electrical needs of our country comes from green energy (excluding hydro), hydro is not green. However, you are correct in the nuclear waste issues, we should recycle spent fuels and either dispose of the waste at Yucca mtn. or Wipp. Nuclear provides 22% of our day to day needs of electrical generation in the USA.
By Richard
Oct 1, 2009 1:41 PM | Link to this
Get real. The nuke industry has had decades to come up with solutions for the disposal of nuclear waste and have found none. No bankers want to finance a nuclear plant and no one wants to insure one or accept the associated liability. So guess who will paying the tab for construction of plants and paying for any accidents...taxpayers like you and me. The green energy industry could provide many more jobs without the risk.
By maddy
Oct 1, 2009 8:13 AM | Link to this
Congratulations to the Montrose County Commission for making a much needed common sense decision. If the Federal government and the environmentalists would get out of the way, I'm totally convinced that good old American ingenuity could rapidly perfect nuclear energy to make it affordable, safe, and clean. The nuclear energy industry could employ millions across this country, thus helping to restore our economy. I'm sure Mr. Saftler also opposes wood burning stoves (too dirty), coal (too dirty), natural gas (disturbs the cactus), etc. I'd be curious to know how he heats his home, or does he just curl up in a big warm blanket and hibernate through the winter?
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