Moab UMTRA Celebrates Removal Of 15 Tons Of Toxic Waste

Reprinted from Energy.gov

EM crews began removing tailings from the Moab Site in 2009. In recent years, they have transported approximately 1 million tons of tailings for disposal per year, resulting in an accelerated closure schedule. Currently, the site is projected to reach cleanup completion in 2029, with DOE looking at beneficial reuse plans for the land.

The ceremony was held in downtown Moab and was open to the public. Guest speakers included local community leaders and representatives from EM and DOE’s Office of Legacy Management.

The highlight of the celebration was the moving of a tile inscribed with the date that the 15th million ton was reached — Oct. 14, 2024 — from one plaque to another. The plaques are a set, representing the project’s two worksites: the Moab Site with the uranium tailings pile, and the Crescent Junction Site with the disposal cell.

The tile was moved from the Moab Site plaque to the Crescent Junction Site plaque by Mary McGann, chair of the Moab Tailings Project Steering Committee.

-Contributor: Barbara Michel