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By Jay and Robin Davis, Nunn

Featured as one of the 15 healthiest cities in October of 2003 in Organic Style Magazine and also named the 2006 No. 1 place to live in America by Money Magazine, Fort Collins enjoys the distinction of being nationally recognized for its quality of life.

But soon, unless immediate action is taken, the less-than-honorable mention of Fort Collins’ proximity to toxic uranium mining and contaminated underground water supplies will taint that reputation. This dismal situation will be a result of Powertech Uranium Corp.’s recent mineral rights purchases in Weld County.

The Canadian firm informed local residents last October that it intends to mine yellowcake (triuranium octaoxide, or U₃O₈) utilizing in situ mining technology to extract the radioactive component. This process is and will be occurring in a number of other states (Texas, South Dakota and New Mexico) and will be depending on our precious and limited water supply for this process.

The in situ leaching process is a cheap and, it is claimed, environmentally benign method of extracting uranium from low-grade ore deposits. This method works by injecting chemically charged native ground water into the element-bearing porous sandstone aquifer, causing the uranium to dissolve in the ground water. This solution is then pumped to a centralized facility to extract the uranium from the solution. Stripped of uranium, the groundwater is then recharged and reinjected starting the process over.

The known dangers of the in situ leaching technology are:

• The risk that deadly, radioactive leaching compounds will spread outside of the uranium deposit and contaminate Front Range water supplies (as has been the case in other areas where uranium is mined).

• The unpredictable impact of the leaching solution on the rock formations.

• The release of considerable amounts of radioactive radon.

• The bonus of extracting other toxic heavy metals needing disposal.

• The impossibility of restoring natural groundwater conditions.

• And the disposal of radioactive waste water and slurries.

Right now, Weld County residents need technical, political, legal and environmentalist support. We also need courageous elected officials to invest themselves candidly, bravely and immediately in the defense of the physical and emotional health and fiscal welfare of their constituents. That the limited, imperiled natural resources that remain in Colorado need their unequivocal support has been obvious for a long time.

Were Fort Collins residents asked whether they’d like to take the risk of having deadly uranium mined in their area? They should contact their representatives and ask them if they will help to defend what is left of our precious natural resources and the outstanding reputation of quality of life. Mining in Nunn, northeast of Fort Collins, is moving forward.

READER COMMENTS

I am against uranium mining in Colorado.
Let's try and keep our water clean!!
C D Gentry

Ft Collins has a mercury polluted lake now so maybe it's not so nice an area. Colorado is running out of clean water, Governor wants to plant a million trees, good for air, but they do drink water ya know. Farmers planting sugar beets @ 50 gallons a beet, cheaper sugar in cuba, but protect the American farmer at all cost! Bush bunch don't care as long as money rolling in.

If you believe Powertech can mine uranium without contaminating our well water, I've got some swampland for sale you might be interested in.

I found out the State of Colorado Water Quality division safe drinking water measures don't cover well water, only public water systems. That means if contaminated runoff affects Denver or some such they'll get involved, but not if it makes aquifer water undrinkable and only affects private wells. Although there's another group that claims to care about well water. I encourage everyone to write to these guys and tell them we want our well water kept clean!

http://www.wellcarehotline.org/contact/index.cfm

What concerns me is this USGS map of the aquifer that may potentially be contaminated by this mining.

Look at all the water wells of record drawing off it. If that aquifer becomes contaminated, that's a lot of farms and homes giving thier families and animals bad water. I wonder how much of that water is used for irrigating crops sold to people that don't live over the aquifer?

http://geosurvey.state.co.us/wateratlas/images/6_8_1hi.jpg

If you live in the northern front range you need to contact your congressman and city officials to find out what they plan to do to help mediate the environmental impact on water quality this project may introduce.

Here is the contact information for the engineering firm. Post any facts you find, pls

R2 Engineering Incorporated
4610 South Ulster Suite 150
Denver CO 80205
720-641-2534
fax 303-832-7469

Send your emails and make your opinion known to those who can still decide to stop this project!

Opponents of the proposed uranium mining project: www.nunnglow.com

The Canadian based company that plans to do the mining starting in 2009:

Powertech Uranium Corp.
Thomas A. Doyle
CFO, VP Finance
(604) 685-9181
(604) 685-9182 (FAX)
Email: info@powertechuranium.com
Website: www.powertechuranium.com

The environmental engineering group helping Powertech develop this project:
www.r2incorporated.com

People who want clean water should not be labelled leftists for trying to raise healthy children or keep their property values from plummeting. Why should some mining operation have the right to ruin the value of property miles away by making it unhealthy to live on?

The job market in the Fort Collins/Windsor/Greeley/Loveland area is not so poor that this mining operation will have any visible positive effect on the economy. Only a few mining jobs will be produced, but the potential for harm is great.

I live in Windsor, south of Nunn, and have serious concerns about our water supply. The south platt river basin drains from Nunn toward reservoirs we use for drinking water. Windsor is a farming town,; there is no university here, it is not full of vegetarian leftists. There's not even a sushi restaurant. We just want clean water to irrigate with and drink.

The Greeley #2 irrigation ditch which irrigates many farms in the area pulls water directly off Cache La Poudre, which runs through Fort Collins into the ditch and through north Windsor. This water is used for irrigating home lawns in north Windsor!

We already have huge amounts of radon in the soil from existing uranium deposits, and many homes downstream of Fort Collins on the Poudre River in Water Valley also have sump pumps because the water table is so high there. Increased radon or chemical pollution in the water table in Water Valley puts that contamination directly into people's basements.

I am concerned that this mining operation will introduce more radon and uranium into Windsor's water and soil.

Since this is a letter from an enviromental Whacko I doubt that most of what he says is true. This is the city and county that wants to get rid of Charter Schools because they actually teach students what they go to school for. The only reason they are against it is the Uranium part of it. Organic Lifestyle Magazine, give me a break. These people are totally vegetable heads. Go eat your tofu in a park and leave people that have to work for a living alone with your outdated 60;s hippie crap

Dear Sir, I am one of your constituents in Fort Collins asking you to block any permission to mine uranium or any related ore in Weld and Larimer and Boulder Counties. We have enough problems wifh the radon gas seeping into our residence and effecting our health.

You lefties always get your panties in a bunch when ever someone makes any money.

These idiots will do anything for a buck and to hell with the rest of us. Towns downstream on the Platte River are already fighting uranium pollution in their well water and they sure don't need these fools stirring up more.

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