DRC-2020-010786 - 0901a06880ca0597

DRC-2020-010786 195 North 1950 West • Salt Lake City, UT
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 144880 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4880 Telephone [phone] • Fax [phone] • T.D.D. [phone] www.deq.utah.gov
Printed on 100% recycled paper
State of Utah
GARY R. HERBERT Governor SPENCER J. COX Lieutenant Governor
Department of Environmental Quality
L. Scott Baird Executive Director DIVISION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT AND RADIATION CONTROL Ty L. Howard Director
June 4, 2020
Kathy Weinel, Quality Assurance Manager Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. (EFR) 225 Union Blvd, Suite 6500
Lakewood, CO 80228
RE: White Mesa Uranium Mill, Maintenance on Impoundment 4B Raft Ground Water Discharge Permit Number UGW370004 Dear Ms. Weinel:
Thank you for the letter dated May 8, 2020 (received May 13, 2020), regarding maintenance of the “raft” at Impoundment 4B. We understand that the “raft” is a structure used to perform certain activities concerning Impoundment 4B, including fluid sampling and measuring fluid level, among others. We
also understand that the condition of the structure had become less safe than desired, so maintenance
was warranted. We further understand that the maintenance work will make weekly fluid level measurement using the “raft” impossible, and that the alternative of approaching the fluid by walking in the liner is unsafe. Recognizing that over 20 feet of fluid would need to be added to the impoundment to exceed the freeboard limit established for the impoundment, and that the mill is not operating at sufficient volume to produce that quantity of discharge to the impoundment during the anticipated three
week repair time, we will take no enforcement action for missed measurements during the repair period. If you have any questions, please call Russ Topham at [phone].
Sincerely,
Phil Goble, Uranium Mills and Radioactive Materials Manager Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control
PRG/RJT/as c: Kirk Benge, Health Officer, San Juan Public Health Department
Rick Meyer, Environmental Health Director, San Juan Public Health Department
Russell Seeley, UDEQ District Engineer