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UTAH RADIATION CONTROL BOARD POSITION STATEMENT-April 9, 1999
The White Mesa Uranium Mill
On multiple occasions, some citizens of San Juan County, Utah have provided written and oral statements to the Utah Radiation Control Board regarding the White Mesa Uranium Mill, currently operated by International Uranium Corporation. These statements have often been emotion-filled and clearly reflect genuine concern, both pro and con, regarding the mill and its operations. In particular, certain members of the Native American community have expressed opposition to the mill on the basis of health and safety, social, and religious grounds. On the other hand, the Board has also received statements from individuals and groups in support of the mil, including other members of the Native American community, and much of what they have to say contradicts information provided by mill opponents.
However, there is a much larger issue at hand. The Board has listened to the concerns of individuals and organizations on both sides of the issue. The Board has considerable empathy regarding the manner in which uranium milling and associated activities affect the lives of the citizens of San Juan County and especially those Native Americans that are among the mill's closest neighbors. In fact, individual Board members may have considerable sympathy for parties on both sides of the issue. However sympathetic or empathetic the Board may be to one or both parties, Utah is not an Agreement State with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding the processing of uranium ore or the on-site disposal of byproduct material. Thus, the Board has no authority to act in behalf of either proponents or opponents of the White Mesa Mill regarding routine milling operations or the existence of the mill per se. With that clarification, while the Board continues to be interested in this issue and may be able to make recommendations concerning the issue, interested parties are encouraged to address their issues to the agencies with regulatory authority.
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