From: Robin
Davis [mailto:robin@mustanghollow.com]
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 7:01 PM
To:
Subject: Ensuring uranium mining leaves behind clean water - HB 1161
Powertech Uranium Corp continually assures us that
their in-situ leach mining for Uranium will not contaminate drinking water
supplies. They tell us that the process for leaching out uranium in an
aquifer is totally environmentally benign. Powertech tells us that we are
reactionary and that they have technology that will ensure that no toxic
heavy metals nor radionuclides will leave the mining area directly over the
uranium ore body. They also tell us that the area in which they propose to
mine within the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer is a contained aquifer. The
solution that they will be injecting into the water is essentially as safe
as "Perrier", says Powertech.
Every quote from Powertech Uranium is that the in-situ leach mining
operation that they propose is totally safe.
Why then, do they oppose a recently introduced bill that will ensure the
truth of these statements. If they are using technology that will ensure
that our water will not be contaminated, they should embrace the bill that
is proposed.
House Bill 08-1161 is a very reasonable bill.
I am VERY surprised to hear, also, that the Farm Bureau is considering
opposing HB 08-1161 as an anti-mining bill rather than supporting is as the
water quality bill that it is. I'm quite shocked that there could be any
opposition to this proposed bill. I encourage you to read it all the way
through. It is very reasonable. It does nothing to ban mining or any part
of mining. It just asks the mining companies to restore the groundwater and
the surface water to pre-mining conditions. The bill specifically names
uranium in-situ leach mining. Read the bill here:
http://www.mustanghollow.com/uraniumminng.html
HB 1161 will protect our precious water supplies and only requires that any
mining company would need to hire a 3rd party consultant to do baseline
water and environmental tests as well as the same 3rd party would do testing
during the mining process and after the mining and restoration is complete.
Right now all baseline tests and any subsequent testing is done by the
mining company. Seems kind of like the fox in the hen house scenario if you
ask me.
We cannot live without water. There are many things we can live without,
but water is not one of them. Already water is seriously limited here in
Colorado. Just ask the farmers who still have wells shut off. Why would we
even think of allowing pollutants into the limited water supplies that we
have. Livestock could become sick if heavy metals such as selenium, arsenic
and cadmium are released in our water. Our livelihood is severely
threatened with the threat of polluted water. Not to mention our very
lives.
Powertech Uranium has reassured us over and over about how safe this mining
is and how environmentally benign it is. If they are so sure that there
will be no excursions of heavy metals or radionuclides into my drinking
water, why are they opposing this bill? They should be, if anything,
neutral on the bill. Realistically, if they truly have new and improved
technology that will ensure that our water will not be polluted, they should
embrace this bill.
Please contact your State Representatives and State Senators as well as
Governor Ritter and ask them all to support HB 1161. Please let everyone
you know, know about this important water quality bill.
Thank you,
Robin Davis
www.mustanghollow.com