Toxic Tailings To Be Removed From Banks Of Colorado River

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Back to Press Releases)
April 6, 2005

Flagstaff, Arizona -- Residents of Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California received good news from the Department of Energy (DOE) today when it announced it intends to remove the pile of toxic uranium tailings from the banks of the Colorado River in Moab, Utah. DOE officials said the preferred alternative, which will be included in the department’s final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), will provide active groundwater remediation, and offsite disposal of the radioactive tailings pile at an approved site in Crescent Junction, Utah, approximately 20 miles away from the river.

The 130-acre contaminated pile, located only 750 feet from the Colorado River just outside Moab, was created in the 1950’s as a waste site for a uranium processing mill.
For decades it has been leaching tens of thousands of gallons of toxic stew into the groundwater, and the river, which is the water supply for 28 million people downstream.

“ We’re ecstatic,” stated Bill Hedden, Executive Director of the Grand Canyon Trust, who has been personally fighting for removal of the pile for 12 years. “ This is a great day for all who rely on this remarkable river that is the lifeblood of the region. All of the science said leaving the tailings in place would leave a mess for future generations and we’re pleased that the DOE listened.”

The Moab tailings pile is one of the last remnants of weapons production for the cold war and the last of several hazardous tailings piles to be removed from lands in the region.

“This is a huge victory that would not have been possible without the efforts of county elected officials; the Governors of Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah and Nevada; the congressional delegations from those states; and the tireless efforts of water users and fellow conservation groups. This positive outcome proves that by working together in a collaborative manner, we can solve the environmental problems confronting the region. I can’t think of a better anniversary present for the Grand Canyon Trust,” Hedden concluded.

The Grand Canyon Trust, a conservation advocacy group headquartered in Flagstaff, Arizona with a satellite office in Moab, is currently celebrating its twentieth anniversary

For more information contact:

• Bill Hedden
  928-774-7488
  Email

For additional background information on Grand Canyon Trust see: www.grandcanyontrust.org

### END NEWS RELEASE ###

(Back to Press Releases)