House Bill 1161 – Land & Water Stewardship Bill

Protect Colorado's waters, mountain landscapes, and communities from uranium mining pollution

• Applies only to uranium mines. New groundwater quality standards apply specifically to in situ leach or injection uranium mining operations. The bill would not apply in any respect to any other hardrock mining operation (other than uranium mining) or to any construction material (sand and gravel) mines.

• Ensures that all uranium mines are treated initially as "designated mining operations" to protect public health and the environment from possible toxic and radioactive pollution. The Colorado general assembly enacted these protections in the wake of the 1993 Summitville mining disaster, but a loophole in the law has created uncertainty as to whether uranium mines qualify as "designated mining operations." With a 2000% jump in uranium mining claims on public lands alone, the need to ensure more responsible mining is critical. However, HB 1161 specifically allows for uranium mines that will not disturb such toxic or radioactive chemicals in quantities sufficient to have an adverse impact on people, property, or the environment to seek an exemption from "designated mining operation" status.

• Requires in situ leach uranium mining operations to restore effected groundwater supplies to meet either the pre-mining water quality or existing state groundwater standards. This eliminates concerns that the water would have to be returned precisely to pre-mining conditions.

• Requires that a mining company be a "good actor" and not have outstanding and unresolved reclamation permit violations at other in situ leach uranium mine sites. The mining company itself would certify good standing in their application and no additional burden is placed on the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS) to conduct time-consuming research into an applicant's compliance history.

• Requires that an in situ leach uranium mining operation applicant gives examples in the application of other successfully conducted in situ mining operations where groundwater supplies were not contaminated.

• Allows the DRMS to retain outside professionals to oversee and review the initial groundwater baseline levels of pollutants for in situ leach uranium mining operations, at the applicant's expense, so long as the scope of work is defined and the applicant has an opportunity to present legitimate objections to the choice of outside professionals.

• Allows in situ leach uranium mining operations to qualify for temporary cessation status or temporarily cease mining reclamation so long as assurances are in place to prevent any leakage or contamination of groundwater outside the aquifer mining zone.

• Allows the DRMS to deny, but not revoke, a permit for an in situ leach uranium mining operation if the operation could result in unacceptable negative impacts to existing agricultural or domestic water supplies.

• Requires notice to neighboring landowners during the application process for an in situ leach uranium mine and in the case of accidents that may impact neighboring communities.

For more information:

Jeff Parsons, Western Mining Action Project, (303) 823-5738, wmap@igc.org

Matt Garrington, Environment Colorado, (303) 573-3871 x310, mgarington@environmentcolorado.org