Kerri Rempp reports that in the wake of a win before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, Crow Butte Uranium Mine also received support from the Dawes County Commissioners as a review of a proposed change in regulations continues.
Vlad Dorjets, of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, hosted a conference call Dec. 20 with the county commissioners and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding possible changes to 40 CFR Part 192, which addresses uranium and thorium mining. The regulation was first issued in 1983 and was last revised in 1995.
EPA is proposing an update to the rule that would require in-situ mining companies to test the water quality for 14 specific particles prior to mining the area and then to restore water quality to pre-mining conditions after mining is concluded. Companies would also have to monitor the groundwater for 30 years after it has been deemed restored and stable, though that time frame can be shortened if the analysis shows that there is a 95% certainty that the water quality is stable for three consecutive years.
The EPA held one of three nation-wide public hearings on the proposed changes in Chadron last year, and the review of the rules change continues to make its way through the federal government.
Dawes County Commissioners last week told Dorjets that Crow Butte, which first began mining uranium near Crawford in 1991, has a large economic impact on the region and more restrictive regulations could further damage a downturn from which the industry is already suffering.
A few years ago, Crow Butte employed 69 full time positions, said Commissioner Chairman Jake Stewart. Today, they are operating at a skeletal crew of 33. More than 20 full time contracting jobs have also disappeared, as have three part-time positions, he continued.
The mine is seeking to have three expansion permits issued by the NRC, the largest of which will extend operations into nearby areas.
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