Monday, November 30, 2009
WASHINGTON — Two Colorado members of Congress have sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency urging the agency to listen to concerns of northern Colorado citizens before taking any action on a proposed uranium mining operation in northern Weld County.
Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Betsy Markey told the EPA in a letter sent Monday that many northern Colorado residents and government entities are raising “serious concerns” that in-situ leaching, a mining technique proposed, could jeopardize water quality and that it may be inappropriate for use in an area near a population center of 300,000 people.
The Democrats said the proposal, put forth by Powertech (USA) Inc., should not be rushed.
“There's no reason to rush forward with this proposal when Colorado's water and a way of life could be at risk,” Bennet said in a press release. “Coloradans deserve to have their voices heard at every step of the process.”
Markey, noting water is the lifeblood of the west, said there are “serious concerns over contamination raised by local governments and private citizens alike deserve to be heard in public forums, and the EPA's rulemaking process should be entirely transparent and take place in the light of day."
Six area city councils — Fort Collins, Greeley, Wellington, Nunn, Ault and Timnath — have passed resolutions in opposition to the proposed mining project.
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