December 17, 1996
Umetco rock mine plan draws some opposition
From the Associated Press
A uranium firm wants to remove a half a million cubic yards of rock from Rattlesnake Hills to cover old uranium tailings at its Gas Hills mine.
Umetco Minerals Corp. is trying to comply with a Nuclear Regulatory Commission order to cover the pile with about one foot of crushed rock on top of about 10 feet of clay already in place.
Umetco is seeking U.S. Bureau of Land Management permission to mine rock from the hills.
Although Umetco has a quarry about 30 miles from the tailings heap, company officials believe mining the 600-foot rise just east of Dry Creek Road would save as much as $8 million in reclamation
But Jim and Robert Hendry of the Clear Creek Cattle Company oppose the plan.
The company holds the water rights on all the mountain's runoff. And the ranchers fear blasting and rock removal would damage their livestock operations.
The area also serves as habitat for elk, deer, antelope, sage grouse and other species, the Hendrys said.
They told BLM officials last week it doesn't make any sense to create a new mine on the Rattlesnake Hills to repair an old mine.
They also fear it will set a dangerous precedent in an area with several other uranium mines.
BLM has asked Umetco to produce a computer illustration of what the mountain will look like after the mining is complete.