12,000,000 TONS AND COUNTING Spearheaded by locals, the federal cleanup of a massive pile of uranium era mine tailings pushes onward Written by Sharon Sullivan
MARY MCGANN CHUCKLES WHEN SHE MENTIONS SERVING YELLOW CAKE DURING THE 2019 MILESTONE CELEBRATION MARKING THE REMOVAL OF 10 MILLION TONS OF URANIUM MILL TAILINGS FROM THE BANKS OF THE COLORADO RIVER. MCGANN WAS OFFERING DESSERT TO FEDERAL OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS – NOT THE RADIOACTIVE YELLOWCAKE THAT WAS PROCESSED FROM URANIUM ORE DECADES AGO AT THE FORMER URANIUM MILL PROCESSING SITE NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO ARCHES NATIONAL PARK. THE RESULTING WASTE - KNOWN LOCALLY AS THE “MOAB PILE” – COVERS 130 ACRES OF THE 489-ACRE SITE.
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MOAB AREA REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE October–November 2021
