NRC gives oversight to state

The federal government has passed the regulatory baton to the state of Utah to oversee uranium mill tailings dumped at Utah landfills.

The move, which officially came this week at the signature of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, followed a lengthy review process that met with little resistance from Utah firms.

"Envirocare supports the state of Utah's involvement in helping to ensure the public's safety," Tim Barney, Envirocare's senior vice president, has said.

The facilities now under Utah authority are the uranium mill tailings disposal at Envirocare of Utah's landfill in Tooele County and at International Uranium Corporation White Mesa mill in Blanding. State environmental regulators also will have authority to oversee the final uranium mill decommissioning and reclamation activities at Shootering Canyon near Ticaboo and Rio Algom in Lisbon Valley located between Moab and Monticello.

A massive uranium tailings cleanup near the Colorado River near Moab isn't covered under this agreement because it is under the authority of the U.S. Department of Energy.

"We look forward to implementing this new regulatory program," said Dane Finerfrock, director of the Division of Radiation Control. "We have a highly competent staff managing the program in a way that will benefit the environment, citizens of the state and the regulated community."

The state made a formal request to the NRC in January 2003 to assume authority for uranium mills and tailings that were under federal jurisdiction. By granting the request, the NRC certified that Utah has an adequate program to control the radiation hazards to protect the public health, safety and environment.

Regulators say the transfer of authority will eliminate duplication in programs monitoring groundwater and provide a better process for citizen participation.