DRC-2020-011170 - 0901a06880cac26a

DRC-2020-011170 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 11, 2020

Kathy Weinel, Quality Assurance Manager Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. 225 Union Blvd., Suite 600
Lakewood, CO 80228
RE: Energy Fuels Resources, White Mesa Uranium Mill May 5, 2020, 1st Quarter 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report, and April 30, 2020 Notice Pursuant to Part I.G.1(a). Utah Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004

Dear Ms. Weinel: The Utah Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (DWMRC) has completed a review of the following Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc. (EFR) documents:

1. EFR, May 5, 2020 (Received by DWMRC on May 13, 2020), Transmittal of 1st Quarter
2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report Groundwater Quality Discharge Permit UGW370004 White Mesa Uranium Mill. 2. EFR, April 30, 2020 (Received by DWMRC on May 6, 2020), State of Utah Ground Water
Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 White Mesa Uranium Mill – Notice Pursuant to Part
I.G.1(a). The review was conducted to ensure compliance with all applicable parts of Utah Groundwater Discharge Permit No. UGW370004 (Permit) issued for the White Mesa Uranium Mill located in
Blanding, Utah.
EFR 1st Quarter 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report – Close-out: Based on review of the EFR May 5, 2020 1st Quarter 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report, it appears
that all applicable requirements of the Permit were met. Therefore, the review is hereby closed out.
EFR Notice Pursuant to Part I.G.1(a) – Close-out: Based on review of the EFR May 5, 2020 Notice it appears that all requirements of the Permit were met.
Therefore, the review is hereby closed out. (Over)

DWMRC Preliminary Findings Regarding MW-24A Groundwater Monitoring Data
Per DWMRC review of the 1st Quarter 2020 Monitoring Data at MW-24A, the first groundwater
monitoring results submitted for MW-24A, it was noted that the same monitoring constituents showed elevated concentrations as observed in MW-24 groundwater data. As you are aware, the DWMRC October 21, 2020 Conditional Approval of MW-24A states that “Analytical data for MW-24A will be included in the routine quarterly groundwater monitoring reports. Discussion of the analytical results and the conclusions resulting from the tandem monitoring program will be submitted to DWMRC under separate
cover at the end of 8 quarters of sampling.” It is recognized that the 1st Quarter 2020 provides the first set of
monitoring results and that it is appropriate to collect additional MW-24/MW-24A tandem samples for comparison. However, based on the early results, it may be appropriate for EFR to review the data and provide discussion and conclusion of the results before the collection of the full 8 quarters of sampling. Specifically, it may be appropriate to discuss a new timeline after review of the 2nd Quarter 2020
groundwater monitoring results.
If you have any questions, please call Tom Rushing at [phone]. Sincerely,
Phil Goble, Uranium Mills and Radioactive Materials Manager Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control
PRG/TR/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