Hello, I am Nicole Nelson-Jean, Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Field Operations at the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management.
As the largest environmental cleanup program in the world, the Department of Energy's Office of
Environmental Management, or EM, is responsible for safely completing cleanup resulting from
decades of nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research.
When EM was first established in 1989, it was responsible for the cleanup of 107 sites in 35
states. Today, 16 sites remain, including Moab. The Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action
Project is in southeastern Utah. It is one of the small sites within the DOE’s national complex.
The EM’s Consolidated Business Center provides project support. The Moab Project contains
two distinct operational locations, the Moab Site and the Crescent Junction disposal cell,
in addition to an administrative office in Grand Junction, Colorado. EM leads and oversees cleanup
at the site and operates the disposal cell. While cleanup is a critical component of EM’s mission,
the project is working towards ultimate closure at the Moab Site. The development of the atomic bomb
in 1945, and the ensuing Cold War, resulted in an urgent need for uranium for national defense.
With the passing of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, the federal government initiated an extensive
exploration program to find domestic sources of uranium. In 1948, geologist and prospector
Charlie Steen searched for the uranium on the Colorado Plateau. Four years later, he
discovered the country's largest deposit of high-grade uranium ore. His discovery led to
the construction of the Moab mill, which processed the ore. The mill operated for nearly 30 years.
During that time, it processed an average of about 1,400 tons of uranium ore per day. The mill site
created an estimated 16 million tons of uranium mill tailings—a radioactive sand-like material.
The mills owner declared bankruptcy in 1998. In 2001, congressional legislation
transferred responsibility for the mill site to DOE. EM began shipping mill tailings from Moab
to Crescent Junction in 2009. Moab relies heavily on tourism and many jobs in the area are seasonal.
The project provides steady, year-round work that directly employs about 150 people between the
two sites and the administrative office. It also supports many small local businesses that include
contractors, equipment rental, and supply vendors. The community is excited about future
site prospects and reuse after the cleanup work. EM is actively connecting with local stakeholders
to work towards possibilities that may eventually benefit the area for economic growth.
EM's mission in Moab is to remediate the site to protect the health and safety of the public
and environment. The first crucial cleanup activity is on waste. Workers focus on
transporting uranium mill tailings and other contaminated materials from the Moab Site to
the Crescent Junction disposal cell. In 2021, less than 30 percent of the tailings piles remained.
EM continues to explore ways to safely accelerate through a mediation effort. In the past few years,
EM doubled waste shipments and established ways to carry more waste on each train.
Another significant piece of the mission is to protect the Colorado River.
Since 2003, EM has taken charge of implementing an interim groundwater action system.
This setup protects surface water quality and recovers ammonia and uranium
before harming endangered species. In Crescent Junction, EM operates a disposal site that
provides safe, secure, and permanent disposition of mill tailings. EM strives to improve design
options that will perform better over time while reducing construction and operating costs.
The Moab Project is committed to EM's goals for environmental stewardship. At both sites,
there is an emphasis on conducting operations in an environmentally sound manner that is protective
of air, water, land, and other natural and cultural resources. EM follows its
environmental objectives, which include improving an ecological habitat for vegetation and wildlife,
purchasing environmentally friendly sustainable products,
and reducing energy and water consumption. EM is focused on bringing Moab to closure. Over the
next decade, cleanup work is expected to conclude with the property returning to its natural state.
After contaminated soil, tailings, debris, and groundwater are remediated, the Moab Site
is expected to be transferred to DOE’s Office of Legacy Management for continued monitoring and
potential reuse. The Crescent Junction disposal cell will also be transferred for monitoring
and required stewardship. EM's progress in Moab ensures the continued well-being of the community
and the environment, and supports the Department's important ongoing missions.