Day 24 Urainium Tailings in Moab, UT

Today we had two programs about the Urainium Tailings Superfund site in Moab, UT. The first program was a tour of the site. We took a ride in two company vans to look at the different areas of the site. The woman explained that the site was a former uranium processing plant. Melt tailings are what is left over after you process the uranium, and that is what is left here. Massive amounts of water are used in the process, and it leaks into the groundwater, causing contamination. They started the cleanup in 2009 and the estimated end date is 2025 at a cost of $1 billion. There is 16 million tons of tailings to clean up, and they already removed 6 tons. They ship 136 containers per day four times a week, and they're taken to a disposal cell 30 miles away at crescent junction. The cell is 25 miles below hard shale, and a 9 ft cover is placed on top. The trucks are washed before the container can leave the site so that no contamination is on the exterior of the container. I thought that was very interesting, and we got to see the trucks getting washed which was pretty cool. We also got to see the Pacific Union train, and the crane that lifts the containers onto the cars.
We got out of the vans a few times to take a look at the site, and it was extremely hot. We had to wear long pants and short sleeves and it was awful. It was really hard to pay attention; I thought I was going to pass out. While we were outside up on the hill, we could see the mounds of material they were moving and we could also see the evaporation pond they were using as a groundwater system. The woman was telling us that the workers are tested daily for radiation levels and none of them ever come close to the limit. Tait said that we have more exposure to radon where we live in NJ just based on the parent material in NJ. I thought that was extremely interesting, and it really put things into perspective. I also thought it was interesting that people were allowed to take home tailings for their gardens and foundations because that is a similar situation as Libby.
Next stop, we went to talk with Mr. Shenton about the Moab site in more detail. He was a really cool guy, I liked him a lot. He could tell we were all struggling from being out in the heat all morning. He gave a great presentation and tried to keep us engaged. He explained that this area was the richest uranium deposit in the United States, and it was discovered in 1952. There was a big boom from then until the 1980s.
He explained that there are defensive wells that intercept contaminated water before it reaches the Colorado River. There are also engineered barriers. The site will be monitored for the next 200 years, which I thought was interesting. I also thought it was interesting that they were going to make a hiking trail out of one of the maintenance trails and then after it was approved, DOE said it was a security issue and they couldn't do it anymore. I really liked this talk because he made the Superfund site situation in Moab seem like it wasn't so bad. Usually when people hear Superfund and contamination they get scared and they say things like "I would never live there" and "how can people work there". He made it seem like it wasn't so bad, and it was just part of life. He was a great speaker and really got his point across that community involvement and education is important for keeping the success of these cleanup projects. If people don't see the importance and understand the process then we will not make progress. I could tell that he really loved his job and where he lives, and I can really appreciate that. He complimented us for educating ourselves and doing what we love, and told us that will go far and we can do anything. He was a very inspiring man, and it was a great presentation to end our trip with.
After our talk, we went back into Moab and had a family dinner at a Mexican Restaurant. It was really nice to have everybody together, including Tait and Patrick. They got margaritas and I was really happy for them because they deserved it!! We had a really nice time together and recounted some great memories from the trip. After dinner, we went to this really cool place called the Rock Shop. The woman was really eccentric and I talked with her for a while. I bought a couple things for my Mom, including a Jade turtle for good luck and prosperity. I really enjoyed the Rock Shop.

A few of us shopping outside at the Rock Shop!

Afterwards, we drove up to Arches National Park. I was unaware that this hike was going to be as long as it was, and I wish I brought more water! (Tip: Always bring water!!!) We tried to catch the sunset, but it was starting to set already. Liz and I started running to try to catch it. We almost made it, but it was already setting by the time we got up there. It was still breathtaking and beautiful up there. The arches were just amazing. There were a lot more people there than I thought there would be. I was so tired from running up there that it was hard for me to really take it all in. I wish I took more pictures while I was up there but I was just relaxing and reminiscing about our trip. I wish it never had to end; I had the best time of my life. What a great opportunity to learn about our wonderful country and how we do better to preserve and protect it. I learned more during this month than I have my whole four years of college. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm so glad I was able to take it. The people on this trip really made it special and I made some new friends that I'm sure I'll be connected with for life. What a journey!

Delicate Arch at Arches National Park