Editorial: Radioactive cleanup

Friday, April 8, 2005 | 9:02 a.m.

The Energy Department has finally decided, after years of review, to recommend that a 12-million-ton pile containing radioactive waste be moved away from its current location near the Colorado River in Moab, Utah. Western states had pressed for the waste's relocation because of concerns that the radioactive pile would contaminate the Colorado River, which is the principal source of drinking water for 25 million people, including Las Vegans. It will be a costly venture to move the tailings and bury them safely elsewhere in Utah -- estimates range from $407 million to $472 million -- but the cleanup is long overdue.

The waste started accumulating at the site, just 750 feet from the Colorado River, during the 1950s. Moab was then home to a uranium mill, which provided the federal government with needed uranium for its weapons programs. Along with radioactive substances, the 94-foot-tall pile of waste contains toxic chemicals such as ammonia, arsenic, lead and mercury. It's no wonder that Westerners, so reliant on the Colorado River for drinking water, want to prevent the river from becoming a toxic brew.

Now that the Energy Department has made a formal recommendation that the waste be shipped 30 miles away for burial, the department will receive public comment before releasing a final decision, possibly within several months. Assuming that there are no changes to the Energy Department's plan, Congress should act quickly to secure the funding for the project to move the dangerous waste. This is a top priority that involves protecting public safety and the environment.