The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced September 14 that it has formally approved plans to move nearly twelve tons of radioactive debris from the banks of the Colorado River near Moab to a safe site near Crescent Junction. When completed, the move will end the leeching of contaminants into the river, which supplys drinking water for some 25 million people in Arizona, California and Nevada.

The clean-up will take about 10 years and cost approximately $500 million dollars. "This is great news for those of us who live in Moab and for all downstream," said Bill Hedden, Executive Director of the Grand Canyon Trust , who personally fought for the clean-up for over a decade. "I applaud the DOE for taking responsibilty for a serious environmental problem that was left to fester for too long."

The 130 acre tailings pile contains the remains from Cold War uranium production left behind when Atlas Mineral Corporation filed bankruptcy in 1998. The Trust will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed of progress.