Company eyes Green River for uranium mill site

James L. Davis

A special public meeting was held in Green River on March 27, where representatives of Mancos Resources Inc. unveiled plans for the development of a uranium mill plant approximately six miles northwest of the city.

The mill plant is being considered as the first business to develop at the Mancos Hills Industrial Park, which Emery County is working to establish on State Institutional Trust Lands west of Green River where I-70 and SR-6 intersect. The mill plant would be the first business to begin operation at the park.

In developing the industrial park the county is looking to secure approximately 3,300 acres of private and public land for the industrial park to attract businesses such as distribution and transportation, manufacturing and fabrication, power generation and businesses such as the mill plant being proposed.

During the meeting, Steve Glass and Greg Hunt of Mancos Resources expressed their interest in developing the uranium mill processing plant, which would process 1,200 tons per day of material for use in power generation at nuclear power plants throughout the world.

“We’re here to discuss an economic venture of a truly global economy. This is a community meeting to let the community know what we have in mind and get your input,” Glass said, addressing approximately 25 people who attended the meeting.

The mill would extract uranium from mines in Utah through the means of wet crushing and solvent extraction. The plant would require approximately $100 million to develop and when complete would employ 40 or more employees.

During the meeting Glass explained that they are at the earliest stages of developing the plant and that no permits have yet been acquired and no engineering of the plant has begun. This first meeting was intended to introduce the project to the Green River community and get feedback.

While the number of people in attendance was relatively small, they did offer a great deal of feedback with numerous questions, most of them revolving around the safety issues of the plant.

Radon gas is the largest source of radiation for a mill plant such as the one being proposed, primarily from the uranium mill tailings. In developing the plant Glass said they would dispose of the tailings on the site and that the process in which they plan to deal with the tailings will make them far easier to deal with and far less likely to cause any problem in the future.

Traditionally mill tailings have been disposed of in a lined cell as slurry with more than 70 percent water. Their plan is to dispose of the tailings dry, with approximately 20 percent water, which makes disposal easier and less likely to cause a problem if the cell ever leaked.

But Hunt said the reason they selected the Green River site for the development of the mill is because of the geographic makeup of the area. The Mancos shale of the area makes an ideal foundation for a containment cell for the mill tailings, which is one of the reasons the Department of Energy selected the Crescent Junction area east of Green River for development of a containment cell where mill tailings from Moab will be transported.

“We’ve been looking for a site like this for over a year,” Glass said.

The plant would be obscured from SR-6 and I-70 by a ridge of hills. Questions arose about the dust control at the plant and the two explained the plant would be closely monitored and would not be allowed to operate if it did not control its dust.

“We would be shut down in a heartbeat if we produced poor air quality,” Glass explained.

Mike McCandless, economic development director for the county, was also I attendance at the meeting and discussed with the audience the county’s intention to develop the industrial park, but that the county wanted the park to be a Green River project.

Many of the questions asked by the audience Glass and Hunt were unable to answer they said because the project is at such early stages. While the audience had a great many questions, most seemed cautiously supportive of the plan.

During the meeting Glass said what was spurring them into action was the fact that the nuclear industry was facing a 25 percent shortage in uranium for energy production. According to Glass there is currently only one uranium mill operating in the United States, the White Mesa Uranium Mill in San Juan County and the demand for nuclear power is increasing world-wide. In Utah alone there are currently 331 uranium leases and more than 38,000 active mining claims.

In addressing the Green River community at such an early stage the two businessmen said they were concerned about the legacy the mill would leave behind and their desire to leave a positive legacy.

“Mining has not done a good job of leaving a positive legacy,” Glass said.

According to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission because uranium in the milling process is not enriched, there is no criticality hazard and little fire or explosive hazard for it. The solvent extraction process does present a fire hazard, however. The primary hazards associated with milling operations are occupational hazards found in any metal milling operation that uses chemical extraction plus the chemical toxicity of the uranium itself.
Radiological hazards are low at these facilities as uranium has little penetrating radiation and only moderate non-penetrating radiation. The primary radiological hazard is due to the presence of radium in the uranium decay chains and the production of radon gas from the decay of radium

Castle Dale native named as Tabernacle Choir director

Castle Dale native, Dr. Mack Wilberg was officially named as the new music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir last week by Mac Christensen, president of the choir.

Dr. Edgar Thompson, former director of the University of Utah School of Music, was named as the interim assistant to Wilberg until a formal search is undertaken and completed for a new associate music director for the choir.
As music director, Wilberg will oversee all musical and creative aspects of the choir, the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Temple Square Chorale and the Bells on Temple Square, including selecting repertoire for concerts, recordings and tours and providing the creative direction for the weekly Music and the Spoken Word broadcast. He will also be involved with selecting and training new choir members. He, along with the choir president, Mac Christensen, will represent the choir at public functions.

Prior to this appointment, Wilberg served as associate music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and conductor of the Temple Square Chorale for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was appointed to those positions in May 1999. Wilberg replaces former director, Dr. Craig Jessop who led the choir for over eight years.

He is internationally recognized for his choral compositions and arrangements and publishes exclusively with Oxford University Press. His biography on the Oxford University Press Web site states, “Wilberg’s arrangements and compositions, with their grandeur, energy, and charm, inspire performers and audiences everywhere.”
He is a former professor of music at Brigham Young University and is active as a composer, arranger, guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States and abroad. His compositions and arrangements are performed and recorded by choral organizations throughout the world. In addition to the many compositions and arrangements he has written for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, his works have most recently been performed by such artists as Renée Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Bryn Terfel, The King’s Singers, Audra McDonald and narrators Walter Cronkite and Charles Osgood.

Wilberg received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Rebecca, are parents of four children. He is the son of Helen Wilberg of Castle Dale, where he was raised.

Thompson, in addition to his former duties with the University of Utah’s School of Music, had been the music director for the university’s A Cappella Choir. He is also a former conductor of the Utah Symphony Chorus and a former member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Thompson was serving in a volunteer capacity with the choir at the time of his appointment as interim assistant. He will assist Wilberg with the choir and orchestra until a new associate music director is named.

A committee is being formed to conduct a Church-wide search for a new associate music director. Applications will be accepted beginning in August. They will be reviewed through the end of the year, with an appointment by the First Presidency anticipated in the spring of 2009.

The Big Cleanup

Josie Luke

When Travis Larsen was running for Huntington City Council one of the issues he focused on was cleaning up the city, so after being elected, he was pleased when he was assigned by the mayor to oversee beautification and assist in planning and zoning. He is now working to fulfill his goals to make the city a more attractive place and to enforce city ordinances.

Larsen grew up in Huntington, calling it home until he left for college at 18. Seventeen years later he moved back with a family of his own. Then, having lived in Huntington again for a few years, Larsen decided to run for a city council position, seeing it as a way to help clean up his hometown.

The councilman revealed, “My biggest goal for my four term is to make a big dent in beautifying the city and having people take pride and ownership of their own property.” He also wants to continue with what others have done, working toward “making this a place where people want to move to.”

He was also very clear in stating, “We will enforce the ordinances and I think that we’re a city council now that isn’t afraid to do that.” He sees his responsibility as “standing up for the majority of people here, being a voice, and not being afraid to tackle sticky issues. As an elected official, even though it’s just the city council for Huntington, I have a responsibility to the citizens here to enforce the ordinances and to do what’s best for the entire community.”

Larsen believes that cleaning up the city can have a huge impact, and described several positive effects it can have. “It draws people to want to live here and also it draws businesses. Recreation is also big. We are kind of the gateway to the San Rafael and the Manti Lasal mountains and we have a lot of possibility for tourism,” he said.

Larsen described the steps the city is taking. “The city is currently working on planting flowers and beautifying Main Street. We’re also working to cement some of the park areas along Main Street, “ he reported. He also related, “I’ve heard people say that Main Street is great, but once you get off of Main street, it’s not so great,” so he is working to take efforts further into the city.

One step the city is taking is making is to make all city ordinances available online, on a revamped city website. Larsen hopes that this will make citizens more aware of their responsibilities, but he also recognizes that those who work for the city need to offer an example. “The city is also responsible for the property that they own. We have a responsibility as a city, if we are asking people to clean up, we need to walk the talk. Not only does the city need to do that, but also the other city council people, the mayor and the city workers need to toe the line,” Larsen maintained.

He hopes that citizens will take pride in and ownership of their own property. He described several things citizens could do to help. “I just think the little things that people do can have a huge impact. If they have fixer-uppers that have been sitting on blocks for a long time, get them covered, or if they have old cars or other things to get them put behind a fence. Focus on mowing your lawn picking up your trash. We also have a Johnny Junker program where the city will pay $20 and Ward’s will come and pick up your car for you.”
Larsen was also careful to express that the city does not expect people to make huge sacrifices, saying, “We’re not expecting people to put new siding on their house, but if they can take a half hour each day if their yard is really bad and just start cleaning up. Now, there’s older people who don’t have the ability to do that and they can definitely call the city and we’ll help them out.”

Huntington City will be holding their annual city cleanup month in April. They will have a cemetery cleanup day on April 6, starting at 10 a.m. and will plant flowers on main street on April 30. Dumpsters will be available throughout the month at the rodeo grounds for non-industrial waste, and the city will also pick up tree limbs, under 8 feet long several times during the month. The open burning period is April 12 through May 11.

Larsen was also careful to point out that this did not mean that citizens only need to clean up in April. “Some people think we should only clean up during April, but just because we call it clean up month, doesn’t mean you don’t have to clean up the rest of the year,” he said.

County caucus turnout smaller than expected

Josie Luke

Both Democratic and Republican neighborhood caucuses drew lower numbers of citizens than expected to meetings held all around Emery County on March 25.

County Republican Chair Bill Dellos believes the low numbers may have something to do with the high turnout to presidential primaries earlier in the year. “So many showed up to the primaries to vote for president, but didn’t show up for the caucuses. It’s important to also participate locally, ” he expressed.

Gary Petty, County Democratic Chair revealed, “Some [precincts] were good, some weren’t.” He really wasn’t sure why the turn out was lower, but speculated that it may have been that people are tired of all the campaigning. “You keep seeing interest going down, after all this,” he said.

The highest turnout for the Democrats was in Orangeville and the lowest was in Green River. For the Republicans, highest was in Orangeville and the lowest was in Emery Town. With the Democrats at 75 percent of their turnout two years ago (75 compared to 100), and Republicans at 83 percent (137 compared to 166), neither party had enough people attend to fill their county delegate quotas, so each group will follow their party’s rules in filling those spots.

The Democratic County Convention will be held at the museum of the San Rafael on April 17, with sign-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the convention beginning at 6:00. Their State convention will be held at the Salt Palace Convention Center on May 10.

The Republican County Convention will be held at Huntington Elementary on April 25, with sign-in at 5:45 and the event beginning at 6:00 p.m. Their state convention will be held at Utah Valley State College in the McKay Events Center on May 10.

County jail goes up for sale during auction

The Emery County Surplus Auction will be held Saturday, April 5 at noon. Those who attend will be able to bid on heavy equipment, vehicles, office equipment and even the old county jail. The Auction will be conducted by RMA Sales Management Company from Emery. The money generated by the auction will go into the county general fund to offset the funds used to purchase new equipment.

Commissioner Drew Sitterud hopes that local citizens will participate in the sale. “I think the people of Emery County purchased it, they have the right to wear it out,” he said. He also reported that people can expect to receive a good deal. Those who attend also need to be aware that they have to pay for whatever they buy before it leaves the property.

Sitterud suggested that people use cash, certified check or credit card, because they will not be able to take it off the lot until their check clears. There will be state workers at the sale to provide new owners with permits to drive their property from the sale, and the road department will also be there to assist people in starting vehicles that have been sitting idle.

The commissioners had considered selling the old county jail building for some time, because when they deeded the property to Castle Dale City, they agreed they would tear the building down. Sitterud explained, “We knew we had to tear it down and we thought if we could get any money out of it at all, we should do it. We wanted people to get use out of it.”

For those interested in bidding on the building, Sitterud reported, “What we’ll do first is see if there’s enough interest in the whole building. If there’s not, we’ll do it piece by piece.”

Heavy equipment and vehicles available at the sale include: Michigan 55B loader, John Deere 772BH grader, John Deere 310 backhoe, 1992 Chevrolet Sport van, 1982 Ford van, blue 1985 Chevrolet pickup, 2000 Dodge Durango, three 2003 Dodge Durango SLTs, 2003 Dodge Dakota Quad-Cab, white 2002 Crown Victoria, red 1995 Dodge Ram, black 1997 Nissan pickup, one-ton Dodge truck and 1998 Dodge RPC350 chassis.

Items from the jail include: electrical and plumbing parts, stainless steel showers, toilets sinks, industrial kitchen equipment, lockers, jail cells (bars and panels), metal tables, cabinets, heating and air conditioning units, chainlink fencing, satellites, shelving, solid doors and basketball standards. Office equipment, such as fax machines, printers, copiers and computers will also be available.