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