Utah environmental regulators are taking comments through July on whether the controversial White Mesa uranium mill should be allowed to continue to operate.
Five miles south of Blanding, few travelers realize they are driving right by America’s last working uranium mill, which includes several large waste ponds. Nearby is the Ute Mountain Ute village of White Mesa, population 300, where many residents have long opposed the mill.
“The tribe is concerned that radioactive toxic waste in the tailings cells will be stored next to the White Mesa Community forever,” said Scott Clow, environmental regulator for the tribe testified to state regulators in Blanding on Thursday.
“We are acting as if we can deal with something that will last in perpetuity. I promise you, we can not,” said Peter Orago, an attorney for the Ute tribe.
Clow said groundwater in the mill’s vicinity has clearly been impacted, and we don’t know how much it has spread.
“There are two contaminant plumes currently being remediated, and there are statistically significant trends in the monitoring network of continuing groundwater quality degradation," he said. "There’s also clear documentation of off site impact to entrance seep due to airborne deposition and storm water transport of uranium from the facility.”
Thelma Whiskers, an outspoken Ute leader from White Mesa, was one of many to express public health concerns.
“When the mill was going, the wind, and we could smell that smoke, or the dust, and our kids, our grandkids, when they play outside they could inhale that,” she said.
“I am a product of uranium mining. I have no thyroid because of it. I have to deal with it. It’s personal. I have lost a lot of relatives to uranium,” said Navajo resident Genevieve Benally.
Another White Mesa resident described an environmental wasteland around the mill.
“The tailings and ponds in the back, they’re never covered. I’ve seen a lot of animals die when they hit that water, and I see a lot of ducks floating around back there. All they do is come by with trash bags and pick them up. Our rabbits have disappeared from here, most of them. The sagebrush aren’t healthy back there. When it’s burning and the stacks go during winter time, White Mesa would smell it.”
Sarana Riggs, an Arizona Navajo, said the mill affects the entire region.
“We have the science, we have the technology to monitor, but that’s not to say that it’s safe," Riggs said. "And so I look at the water quality in our area, Gallup and Sanders, and look at all these places around, and they are contaminated. There are so many abandoned uranium mines all over the Navajo Nation. We’re the ones being impacted and left with that legacy.”
Due to the uranium slump the mill has slashed its operations by more than one half, and has taken on so- called “alternate feed” from around the country, which is industrial waste containing numerous toxics and high radiation. There have been three serious leaking incidents in the last two years, of shipments to White Mesa.
Ephraim Dutchie is one of many residents concerned about recent spills of high-level waste now being trucked to White Mesa from around the country.
“Who’s going to respond to the spill?" Dutchie said. "What if one of these spills, or one of these semis wrecked in White Mesa or Bluff? What’s gonna happen if one of these trucks wrecked when they go through the community?”
In sharp contrast, support for the mill was overwhelming among the anglos in attendance, including town and county council members, school officials, and mill workers. They argued that San Juan County needs the mill for economic diversity and needs the mill tax revenues for schools.
“Uranium does not scare me.”
“I’m not afraid of the mill. My husband worked there for years.”
“I’m not afraid of the mill.”
“I work in the mill and I can say without a doubt that I’m not scared.”
“The future of energy is with nuclear power.”
“I think people are making things up and sending misinformation out.”
“There is a lot of speculation and fear tactics.”
“I really kind of resent the idea that they’re making out that there’s all these problems.”
I give Thelma Whiskers the last word:
“I know you young ones say they’re not scared of cancer, just because they’re young. Now I’m getting old.”
Utah regulators are taking comment through July on whether to continue the mill’s license, and whether they can take on a new high-level waste customer from Oklahoma.
