William R. Richardson: “I support H.R. 2967 because it reauthorizes the remediation activities of environmental damage created at uranium mill…”

“I support H.R. 2967 because it reauthorizes the remediation activities of environmental damage created at uranium mill sites. Without this legislation, the current authorization for cleanup will expire on September 30, 1996. Uranium mill tailings were created as a result of Federal Government activities to secure supplies of uranium for the Manhattan project--a top-secret activity designed to build the world's first nuclear weapon--located in my congressional district in New Mexico. This development lead to continued production of nuclear weapons and the use of nuclear energy production for electric generation. The milling process separates high-grade uranium from low-grade surrounding rock. These high volume sand-like leftovers emit low levels of radioactivity and consequently need to be disposed of properly by the Department of Energy. The original Uranium Mill Tailings Control Act of 1978 provided for the cleanup of 22 title I sites--abandoned and inactive sites which were used primarily for Federal purposes. Due to the significant volume of tailings to be remediated and more strict cleanup standards imposed after the 1978 act, more time and additional funds are necessary to complete the Department of Energy's activities. H.R. 2967 will allow the Department an additional 2 years to safely complete the cleanup process. This is a good piece of legislation which will address public health and environmental concerns in many western States.”