ML24030A546
| ML24030A546 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/16/2024 |
| From: | Scott(Ois) Morris NRC/EDO |
| To: | Munoz G State of NM, Senate |
| Shared Package | |
| ML24019A154 | List: |
| References | |
| LTR-24-0010 | |
| Download: ML24030A546 (3) | |
Text
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The Honorable George Munoz New Mexico State Senate Gallup, New Mexico 87305
SUBJECT:
LETTER TO THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DATED DECEMBER 12, 2023, URGENT REQUEST TO HALT TRANSPORT OF URANIUM TAILINGS TO THOREAU LANDFILL
Dear Senator Munoz:
I am responding to your letter dated December 12, 2023,1 regarding your request that the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reevaluate and, if necessary, revoke any current permits allowing the storing of uranium tailings at the Thoreau Landfill. Currently, there is no ongoing or proposed action by an NRC licensee to move NRC regulated mill tailings to this landfill; however, we believe that you maybe referring to a proposed action by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) associated with the remediation of abandoned uranium mines on and near Navajo Nation under its Abandoned Mines Cleanup2 Program.
The NRC regulates the possession of source material as well as the uranium milling process and uranium mill tailings, but NRC does not regulate mining or mining waste. In an effort to understand the context of your letter, the NRC staff reached out to EPA Region 9. General information about the proposal to which you may be referring can be found at the EPA page for the Quivira Mines cleanup here.3 For further information, please contact Kenyon Larsen, Physical Scientist and Remedial Project Manager, EPA Region 9, Superfund, at (415) 914-4213, or via email Larsen.Kenyon@epa.gov.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Bill Von Till, Branch Chief for the Uranium Recovery and Materials Decommissioning Branch at 301-415-0598, or via email at Bill.VonTill@nrc.gov.
Sincerely, Scott A. Morris Acting Executive Director for Operations 1 Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML24019A153 2 https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/abandoned-mines-cleanup 3 https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup/quivira-mines February 16, 2024 Signed by Morris, Scott on 02/16/24
G. Munoz cc:
Michelle Lujon Grisham, Governor Martin Heinrich, NM Senator Ben Ray Lujan, NM Senator Melanie Stansbury, NM Representative D-1 Gabe Vasques, NM Representative D-2 Theresa Ledger Fernandez, NM Representative D-3 William Duncan, Superfund Branch Chief, EPA Region 9
ML24030A546 OFFICE DUWP DUWP DUWP DRMA NAME JSmith RVonTill JWhitman THerrera DATE 01/30/2024 01/31/2024 02/01/2024 02/ /2024 OFFICE NMSS OEDO OGC NAME RLewis for JLubinski SMorris AGendelman DATE 02/07/2024 02/ 16 /2024 02/13/2024