Mancos Resources, LLC is planning to construct and operate a uranium mill near Green River. The Aug. 28 T-I article, states: “Moab based Red Rock Forests has filed a lengthy protest against the project.” Actually, Red Rock Forests, Living Rivers, and the Local Moab Green Party have filed a protest, not against the project, but against Mancos Resources’ application to appropriate 800 acre-feet of water from the Green River for the proposed mill.

The Green River Canal Company and Tim Vetere, a Green River farmer, also filed protests with the Utah Division of Water Rights. A hearing on the protests, scheduled for August 27, has been postponed. The proposed mill site belongs to the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). Emery County and SITLA have been negotiating a lease agreement, which was approved by the Emery County Commission at their Aug. 19 meeting.

Transition Power Development Corp. is planning a two-unit nuclear power plant near Green River. Transition Power has leased approximately 53,000 acre feet of water from Kane and San Juan Counties for the facility. However, the water cannot be used until the State Engineer approves a change in the water’s use and point of diversion. Transition Power has signed an option to buy a large parcel of the SITLA land from Emery County, but has not announced exactly where they intend to place the power plant.

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m., the Emery County Planning Commission will hold a hearing at the Green River City Hall, 240 Main St., Green River, to hear public comments on a proposal to rezone nine sections of land west of Green River, including the lands Emery County intends to lease from SITLA. The zone change would be from Mining, Grazing and Recreation to Industrial. Written comments can be submitted to the Emery County Clerk/Auditor’s Office, P.O. Box 907, Castle Dale, Utah 84513, prior to the meeting.

A nuclear power facility near Green River would directly involve Grand County. According to Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidance, “adequate plans must be developed for two areas, or Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs).” These are the plume exposure pathway EPZ (10 miles) and the ingestion zone EPZ (50 miles). The Grand County area near Green River is within the plume exposure pathway. Crescent Junction, Thompson, and Moab are within the ingestion zone. It’s time to start learning these terms, understand what they mean, ask questions, and speak up. For further information on these projects, see www.uraniumwatch.org.

—Sarah Fields

Moab