Environmental assessment of remedial action at the Gunnison Uranium Mill Tailings Site near Gunnison, Colorado. Final

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10150741· OSTI ID:10150741

The presence of contaminated uranium mill tailings adjacent to the city of Gunnison has been a local concern for many years. The following issues were identified during public meetings that were held by the DOE prior to distribution of an earlier version of this EA. Many of these issues will require mitigation. Groundwater contamination; in December 1989, a herd of 105 antelope were introduced in an area that includes the Landfill disposal site. There is concern that remedial action-related traffic in the area would result in antelope mortality. The proposed Tenderfoot Mountain haul road may restrict antelope access to their water supply; a second wildlife issue concerns the potential reduction in sage grouse use of breeding grounds (leks) and nesting habitat; the proposed Tenderfoot Mountain haul road would cross areas designated as wetlands by US Army Corps of Engineers (COE); the proposed disposal site is currently used for grazing by cattle six weeks a year in the spring. Additional concerns were stated in comments on a previous version of this EA. The proposed action is to consolidate and remove all contaminated materials associated with the Gunnison processing site to the Landfill disposal site six air miles east of Gunnison. All structures on the site (e.g., water tower, office buildings) were demolished in 1991. The debris is being stored on the site until it can be incorporated into the disposal cell at the disposal site. All contaminated materials would be trucked to the Landfill disposal site on a to-be-constructed haul road that crosses BLM-administered land.

• Research Organization: USDOE Albuquerque Operations Office, NM (United States). Uranium Mill Tailings Project Office
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 10150741
• Report Number(s): DOE/EA--0376; ON: DE92014696; NC: NONE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050400
052002
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
COLORADO
DECONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEED PROCESSING
GROUND WATER
HEALTH AND SAFETY
MILL TAILINGS
NOISE
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
REMEDIAL ACTION
REMOVAL
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SOILS
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WILD ANIMALS