Environment: Formal hearing set for proposed Piñon Ridge uranium mill in southwestern Colorado

New hearing to meet legal requirements for noticing and public comments.

State’s previous approval voided as unlawful

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Residents of southwest Colorado will have their chance to scrutinize plans for the proposed Piñon Ridge uranium mill in the Paradox Valley later this year at a court-ordered hearing in Montrose County.

The new hearing was scheduled after Denver District Court Judge John McMullen ruled in June that the state’s previous review process was unlawful. Conservation groups and community activists and towns in the area have repeatedly expressed concerns about potential impacts to air and water quality from the proposed mill.

McMullen found that the state had denied the public its right to a formal, adjudicatory hearing and ordered the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to start a new public review process.

“We are pleased that the public will finally get a formal chance to scrutinize this proposal,” said Hilary White, executive director of Sheep Mountain Alliance. “As a party in this hearing process, we will continue to ensure that the clean air and clean water of this region are protected.” (more…)

Environment: District court in Colorado nixes state license for proposed Pinon Ridge uranium mill

A district court in Colorado this week invalidated a state license for a controversial uranium mill in the southwestern corner of the state.

Communities, conservation groups prevail in lawsuit against Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Communities and conservation groups in southwestern Colorado won a huge court victory this week, as a Denver District Court judge invalidated a state license for the proposed  Piñon Ridge uranium mill.

Judge John N. McMullen ruled June 13 that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment erred by issuing the license to Energy Fuels without public hearings required under the regulatory process.

Pinon Ridge would be the first new rock-crushing uranium mill to be built in the U.S. in 25 years. Communities in the area said they were concerned that lapses in state’s approval process prevented a thorough evaluation of potential and water quality impacts. (more…)

Will Colorado block public from a meeting on nuclear plans?

State and federal agencies will discuss oversight of radiation control programs this week, but the public may not be able to attend.

A proposed uranium processing mill in southwest Colorado has triggered a showdown between state and federal regulators

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — State health officials and federal nuclear regulators will powwow this week over the stalled application for a permit for a planned uranium mill in southwest Colorado, but the public apparently will be shut out of the process — despite a formal request for access by local government officials from Telluride and San Miguel County.

“The state has completely failed to conduct its review of the proposed Piñon Ridge Uranium Mill in a fair, open and transparent process,” said Hilary White, executive director of the Sheep Mountain Alliance, a Telluride-based conservation group that has challenged the Piñon Ridge license in a lawsuit.

The April 17 meeting has been set to discuss and review the state’s performance and implementation of the federal Atomic Energy Act. Community groups and environmental advocates challenging the permitting of the mill said the state failed its obligation to hold adequate formal public hearings during the permitting process and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in February agreed in a finding that could force Energy Fuels to start the application process from scratch. (more…)

Federal regulators say Colorado health officials botched licensing and hearing process for proposed uranium mill

Feds say hearings needed on proposed uranium mill in SW Colorado.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission calls for public hearings on SW Colorado project

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Federal regulators said last week that Colorado public health officials failed to provide for adequate public comment during the early permitting and licensing stages for the proposed Piñon Ridge uranium mill in southwestern Colorado.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment was not able to respond to questions about the licensing and hearing process Tuesday afternoon. The CDPHE issued a final radioactive materials license for the Piñon Ridge Uranium Mill on Jan. 5, 2011

The finding by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission could force Energy Fuels to start the application process from scratch. (more…)

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 5,720 other followers