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HomeMy Public PortalAboutRES-CC-2017-05CITY OF MOAB RESOLUTION NO.05-2017 RESOLUTION TO REQUIRE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO ALLOCATE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO COMPLETE THE MOAB UMTRA REMEDIATION PROJECT BY 2025 WHEREAS, In October 2000, the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act of 2001 assigned the United States Department of Energy (DOE) responsibility to establish a remedial action program and stabilize, dispose of, and control uranium mill tailings and other contaminated material at the Moab uranium ore processing site and associated vicinity properties. The project involves the excavation and transportation of a 16,000,000-ton pile of uranium mill tailings from near the Colorado River at the Moab, Utah site, and placement/disposal at engineered disposal cells constructed at Crescent Junction, Utah; WHEREAS, In 2005 the DOE released the Record of Decision to move the 16 million tons of uranium tailings from the banks of the Colorado River 4 miles north of Moab to Crescent Junction, 30 miles north of Moab; WHEREAS, The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 passed by the U.S. Congress on January 28, 2008 established a target completion date for the Moab UMTRA (Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action) project as 2019; WHEREAS, Remediation of the Moab UMTRA project must be performed in accordance with Title I of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act and the cleanup standards established under 40 CFR 192. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission must concur with the remediation plan and sign off on the project when the final disposal site is completed; WHEREAS, DOE has identified as its strategic goal meeting the challenges of the 21st century and the nation's Manhattan Project and Cold War legacy responsibilities, the Department will work aggressively to address cleanup at the Moab site. This involves the transport of uranium mill tailings away from their current location near the Colorado River and Arches National Park to a DOE disposal facility in Crescent Junction; WHEREAS, This project has been recognized for its efficiency by DOE, and funding it is a sound investment; WHEREAS, In January 2016 the Moab UMTRA project had removed 8 millions tons from the Moab site to the disposal site, which means that 50% of the tailings have been moved to the Crescent Junction site since the project began in 2009; this accomplishment was praised by DOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Monica Regalbuto; WHEREAS, In 2010 and 2011 the project was adequately funded, in part due to additional funding provided in 2008 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). If that same amount of funding had continued, the 2019 target date set by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 would have been met; WHEREAS, After 2011, funding diminished to the point where the removal of tailings was reduced by half and created inadequate funds for maintenance of equipment and development of disposal cells; WHEREAS, The FY2016 budget allocation of $38.6 million is insufficient to keep the project on track; if funding continues at this level and the volume of tailings removed remains unchanged from current levels, it is estimated that the project cannot be completed before 2034. The FY2017 reduction cut of $3.86 million dollars for the project just exacerbates the problem; WHEREAS, When funding is adequate, it has a positive effect on Grand County by decreasing unemployment and increasing cash flow to local businesses and service providers. Cutbacks made in response to proposed funding decreases have already caused a significant impact on Grand County's rural economy. Grand County's 2015 unemployment rate was 5.7% while the state average was 3.5%; WHEREAS, The risk and safety concerns associated with the Moab UMTRA project continue as long as the tailings remain at their current location on the Colorado River; WHEREAS, Major flooding of the UMTRA site has the potential to damage equipment, intrude upon the pile, and contaminate water for the 27 million water users downstream. In 2011 the Colorado River reached a high water episode of sustained runoff of almost 50,000 cubic feet per second for nearly two weeks, with water at least 10 feet high at the edge of the pile. In 2006 an extreme precipitation event occurred whereby 4 inches of rain fell directly on top of the Moab site causing unexpected erosion and exposure of tailings. Each event slowed operations, which translated to added costs, such as a half million dollars added to the projects cost in 2006. WHEREAS, A portion of the Union Pacific railroad that the UMTRA project uses to transport and load tailings is located next to a steep slope that is susceptible to rockslides. A rockslide occurred in 2014 that covered the rail line with thousands of tons of debris, causing shipment of tailings to be interrupted for two months. This rockslide required a million dollars in mitigation and prevented 80,000 tons of tailings from being shipped. The geologic hazards associated with Moab UMTRA site are only going to continue and consequently increase the taxpayers' cost of the project; WHEREAS, If the project continues at its current funding, moving the tailings it is estimated that will take until 2034 to complete. This will cost the taxpayers an estimated $250 million more than if the project were completed by 2025 WHEREAS, 485 acres of prime real estate cannot be used until the pile is removed and the land remediated. Until the project is completed, this acreage is blight, rather than a benefit for Grand County; WHEREAS, Extending the time that the tailings pile remains will be seen by over a million visitors to Arches and Canyonlands national parks each additional year is an unnecessary black eye for Utah; WHEREAS, The City of Moab and its Governing Body are committed to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Grand County, Utah and all of the 27 million downstream water users of the Moab UMTRA site; WHEREAS, There is bipartisan support from the federal delegation of Utah and all of the downstream states: Arizona, California, and Nevada; NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED that the City of Moab along with the State of Utah and Governor Gary Herbert and with the states of California, Arizona, and Nevada support the expedited removal of the remaining 8 million tons of uranium tailings from the banks of the Colorado River and that the DOE allocates adequate funding, estimated at $45 million dollar yearly, to insure the tailings are safely transported to the Crescent Junction disposal cells by 2025. By: Mayor David SakriStn,- Attest: - - By: Rachel Stenta, Recorder rd day of January, 2017. J-?3--17 Date