CANON CITY, Colo.—— Owners of an idled Canon City uranium mill where contamination remains a problem are planning to reopen for business.
The Cotter Corp. has told state officials they plan to process uranium from a New Mexico mine as early as 2014. The company would ship 12.5 million tons of ore by train to its site along the Arkansas River.
But local leaders oppose the plan and federal authorities haven’t finished investigating whether contamination could be causing cancer and other health problems.
The mill operated from 1958 to 1979, then intermittently until 2006. It was declared a federal Superfund site in 1984 because radioactive materials had contaminated the soil and groundwater.
State health officials say the area will have to be cleaned up whether the mill is refurbished or closed.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
