| OCR Text |
Show PAGE 24 THE ZEPHYR JUNE 89 CLEANING UP ATLAS MINERALS some facts and an opinion by Jim Mattingly The times, they are a changing. Not since the uranium boom of the fifties has Moab seen such a dramatic change In the economy and environment Where ore trucks rumbled through downtown Moab, mountain bikes now quietly pedal As with all change, residents have (Afferent opinions on the along. benefits. Ifs not hard to Imagine how the locals of 1950 felt about the , Influx of rowdy opportunists Into their quiet town. Similarly we now have local people who are upset by the change brought by tourists. Merchants and politicians have voiced their concern over the problems of too many people and too few accommodations. Yet, for the first time since the death of uranium In 1984, the bank accounts of the merchants show a positive balance. Moab has shown Its concern about the change and its desire to control It Town meetings have been held to receive Ideas for direction. Neighborhood meetings were held last winter to discuss specific Ideas In a relaxed I Informal setting. had the opportunity to video tape three different for a program Im producing with the Canyonlands Field Institute. meetings Without exception, at each meeting people said that tourists were essential to the economy, but that we also need Industry; But how can we attract Industry that will be compatible with our life style? Only once, for a brief It moment, was the question of reclamation of the Atlas mill discussed. seems that the mill has been there so long Its Just a part of the landscape, Dke the river and canyons. I see the mill as the Industry that everyone on 200 acres, three miles north of town the cleanup of Atlas desires. Sitting If it Is Is a multi-milli- on dollar project that could last six to ten years. done properly, everyone will benefit The town will be rid of an enormous eyesore at Its gateway and Jobs will have been created to ease the economy. Some will say that the tax base of the mill will disappear, but that's not The revenue will decrease because the buildings will no entirely true. If we allow the existence of the the land will remain. but longer exist tailings pond, why not Impose a special property tax on this 130 acres that could pose a potential health hazard? Atlas mill went on standby In March of 1984. In July of 1988, the company notified the NRC that It would decommission and reclaim the mill site. A plan was then submitted by Atlas Minerals of Grand Junction, Colorado and prepared by Canonle Environmental of Englewood, Colorado. The plan explained how Atlas would dismantle the buildings and bury them on site and how It would cover the tallngs pond. . According to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulation 10 CFR Chapter 1 ' Edition), to cover a tailing pond. It must be capped with soil and rock. The slope of the pond after covering should be 10 feet horizontal to 1 vertical or less steep, and should not be steeper than 5 to 1." At a , neighborhood meeting held at Commissioner Merv Lawton's house on March 8, 1989, Lawton said that If that formula was followed, the capping of the pond , (1-1- -88 would cover Highway 191. He believed, however, that Atlas was working on the problem, and would submit alternative plans to the NRC. Lawton also stated that the pond was leaching Into the river, but It was "minimal. I talked with . Richard Blubaugh, the spokesman for Atlas In Grand I then Junction, and he stated that there were "no standards for slopes. contacted Joe Gilliland In Arlington, Texas who Is the Public Affairs Officer for the NRC In Region 4. Mr. Gilliland wasnt aware of the slope problem, so he made a conference call to the Denver office of the NRC and we talked to Van ScholflekL Mr. Scholfield stated, that according to his Information the not cover the road. slope would During the course of the conversations with Mr. Blubaugh of Atlas and Mr. Gilliland of the NRC, I asked what the status was on starting the reclamation project Mr. Blubaugh said that Atlas was waiting to hear from the NRC on certain details and MrT Gilliland stated that the NRC was waiting on Atlas for more details. Neither Individual would even guess as to the start of the project But I was reminded how It Is to deal with corporate business and ' government pdhi2sec. Now we can have ten times the previous amount of radon dispersing Into the atmosphere. By leaving the pond as Is In regards to slope, which Is 10 to 3, and covering the top with as tittle as possible, the report states that Atlas can save at least $75OJ)O0l By substituting a channel top for the dome top the amount of rock to be placed on top can be reduced. Atlas tested samples from sources for the riprap to be used on top They sampled sandstone and Igneous rock from different locations around Moab. The tests were for a weathering factor to determine the best rock with the greatest durability. The report states, "The average weight loss for the sandstone sample was 48 which corresponds to a weathering factor of 74. The average weight loss of the Igneous rock The samples are 2JS which corresponds to a weathering factor of sandstone is less , deslreable for use as. riprap . because -- of Its ; large However, a mixture of both sandstone and Igneous rock weathering factor FOR ALL YOUR GLASS NEEDS 259-871- 4 . then requested and received the engineer's report and technical After wading through the 105 specifications on the reclamation project I discovered how Atlas pages, plans to solve the slope problem, short of It the states, "review of the current reclamation plan moving tallngs pond. Indicated had that, technically and economically, major modifications were Of course, change the rules to fit the situation, to reduce warranted. costs to the company. Instead of the original domed top configuration, It was now a depressed channel, the reason being, It would "minimize materials The soil handling quantities, exposed tailings, and reclamation costs. cover thickness was also reduced because of an Increase In the allowable radon emanation rate from 2 plcocuries per square meter per second to 20 I 4. 1 195 So. Hwy 191 : t? . t RESIDENTIAL Screens Plexiglas Replacement Glass COMMERCIAL Store Fronts Door repair replacement Windshields Back Glass CONSTRUCTION ,V sliding Windows Patio Doors Shower Doors and Tub Enclosures A - A' 1 fixed Door Glass repair replacement " fc V "i 4l i |
