The Fort Collins Coloradoan recently asked local state lawmakers to share their expectations for the coming legislative session, which opens January 9th. Updating state regulations on uranium mining to protect our public health and environment is high on the list of priorities of Reps. Steve Johnson, Randy Fischer and John Kefalas. Here is what they said:

Steve Johnson:

Like many people, I chose to live in Larimer County because it is such a great place to live. Preserving the beauty and quality of our environment is essential. I'm working with Reps. Randy Fischer and John Kefalas on legislation to update our state regulations on uranium mining.

Northern Weld and Larimer counties are under consideration for in-situ uranium mining, a technique Colorado has little experience with and one that has proven problematic in other areas. In the past, we have had environmental disasters costing taxpayers millions to clean up in part because our regulations were not adequate to protect the public health and environment. We must not allow that mistake to be repeated in our backyard. The landowners of Northern Colorado have their lives and life savings invested in their land - we will protect them.

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Randy Fischer:

I have received a large volume of correspondence from residents requesting legislative action to address their concerns over possible uranium mining near Fort Collins. I want to reassure folks from Northern Colorado that I am taking action to prevent the public health, environmental and economic risks posed by uranium mining in our area. I am jointly sponsoring legislation with other local legislators aimed at protecting public health, safeguarding our valuable groundwater resources and lifting the veil of secrecy around uranium prospecting. The passage of this legislation is one of my top priorities for 2008.

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John M. Kefalas:

My bills include restoring the state Earned Income Tax Credit, increasing regulatory authority over uranium mining, directing a 2009 pilot project for ranked choice voting, establishing the Colorado Housing Investment Fund and making college textbooks more affordable.

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Also, the Greeley Tribune ranked the controversy over uranium mining in northern Colorado as one of the Top 10 Stories of 2007:

5. Rallying against uranium
From the moment people learned of a Canadian company's interest in almost 6,000 acres of land in Weld County, residents have rallied in opposition, sparking a massive movement. On Aug. 1, Powertech Uranium Corp. was officially introduced to northern Colorado, with plans of carving uranium out of the earth. With mineral rights in hand, the company already had approval from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources to drill test holes and wells on the land.

The company estimates 9.7 million pounds of uranium lie beneath a 15-mile chunk of northern Colorado. Worried how the company's mining process would affect underground aquifers and area water supplies, residents have rallied against the project. They formed the Coloradoans Against Resource Destruction, organized and created a Web site, called www.nunnglow.com, and by mid-December, they had collected more than 5,700 signatures against the project. The group also convinced local legislators to form legislation to protect drinking water, which is expected to be introduced next month. They also have lobbied the support of Colorado's national lawmakers.