Ugly Uranium Mill!
Comment: State leaders protecting their state from the poison of uranium! What a concept, how come VA is pushing the Nuke Deadly Cycle? Ban Uranium Mining and Milling!
Rachel Alexander
The Daily Record
On Tuesday, environmental activists announced legislation that will be proposed in the state House of Representatives soon.
The Uranium Processing Accountability Act would require uranium processors to comply with clean-up orders before new applications are processed.
The legislation would affect the Cotter uranium mill south of Cañon City.
The bill will be sponsored by Rep. Buffie McFadyen in the House and Sens. Ken Kester and Bob Bacon in the Senate.
“There’s one reason why we’re here, to protect the community, the environment of Colorado,” said Matt Garrington of Environment Colorado, which helped develop the legislation.
The group hosted a press conference announcing the legislation at the Fremont County Administration Building.
Commissioner Mike Stiehl spoke about contamination from leaking CCD tanks on the site.
“Without the legislation we’re proposing, there is no reason to clean that up prior to decommissioning of the mill,” he said.
He added the legislation will provide additional tools to the health department to continue enforcement.
Also among Tuesday’s speakers was Bill Edrington, owner of Royal Gorge Anglers.
“I’m not really here to protect my business, I’m here to protect this river, which I love,” he said.
He said the Arkansas River is a “wonderful” wild fish producer, but that if the fish start to die from loss of food because of contamination, then the river is lost.
“My mother always taught me if I made a mess, clean it up,” he said. “We want to keep (Cotter) around to clean up their mess.”
Sharyn Cunningham, co-chair of Colorado Citizens Against ToxicWaste, which also was involved in developing the legislation, said the bill asks mills to clean up before asking permission to make more messes.
“Cotter has dragged its feet for years on clean up,” she said.
“One thing Cotter is doing here at our property is, we are spending a lot of money to clean up the property and make the environment better for all of us,” Hamrick said.
Garrington said the bill will be introduced at the Legislature late this week or in February.
Read more:
http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/Top-story.asp?ID=12822
