Zombie Uranium Mine Owner Attempting To Shut Out Public Comment, Again
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 3, 2015
Zombie Uranium Mine Owner Attempting To Shut Out Public Comment, Again
On December 4, the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division will hold a public hearing to seek input about whether Rio Grande Resources’ (RGR) Mt. Taylor Uranium Mine can move from standby to active status. The Mt. Taylor Mine near the village of San Mateo has been inactive and polluting the surrounding environment for the last 25 years.
On Thursday, December 3, RGR attorneys sent a pre-hearing statement to various parties to the hearing including NM Mining and Minerals Division, NM Attorney General’s Office, the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos, attempting to limit public comment on RGR’s request to restart the Mt Taylor Mine.
RGR previously attempted to limit public comment during a 2010 Standby Hearing where the Mining and Minerals Division Director shut down the hearing and didn’t allow MASE’s technical expert nor MASE community members to speak. MASE and Amigos Bravos appealed that action and won. The recent May 1 hearing was part of the Court Order forcing MMD to allow the public to speak. (No. D-101-CV-2012-02318)
On December 4, the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division will hold a public hearing to seek input about whether Rio Grande Resources’ (RGR) Mt. Taylor Uranium Mine can move from standby to active status. The Mt. Taylor Mine near the village of San Mateo has been inactive and polluting the surrounding environment for the last 25 years.
On Thursday, December 3, RGR attorneys sent a pre-hearing statement to various parties to the hearing including NM Mining and Minerals Division, NM Attorney General’s Office, the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos, attempting to limit public comment on RGR’s request to restart the Mt Taylor Mine.
RGR previously attempted to limit public comment during a 2010 Standby Hearing where the Mining and Minerals Division Director shut down the hearing and didn’t allow MASE’s technical expert nor MASE community members to speak. MASE and Amigos Bravos appealed that action and won. The recent May 1 hearing was part of the Court Order forcing MMD to allow the public to speak. (No. D-101-CV-2012-02318)
Instead of reclaiming the mine which would bring much needed jobs and ground water protection to the Grants Mining District, RGR is hoping that the uranium market will rebound.
WHEN: Friday, December 4, 2015 at 10:00 AM.
WHERE: At the Commission Meeting Room, Cibola County Offices, 515 West High Street, Grants, New Mexico [map]
Link to documents:
– RGR Pre-hearing Statement with Continuing Objections
– First District Court’s Order Vacating NM Mining Commission Order and Certifying Case No. D-101-CV-2012-02318 to the Court of Appeals
Contacts:
Susan Gordon Coordinator, MASE, 505-577-8438, susangordon@earthlink.net
Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney, NM Environmental Law Center, 505-750-3027, ejantz@nmelc.org
Rachel Conn, Interim Executive Director, Amigos Bravos, 575-770-832, rconn@amigosbravos.org
Susan Gordon Coordinator, MASE, 505-577-8438, susangordon@earthlink.net
Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney, NM Environmental Law Center, 505-750-3027, ejantz@nmelc.org
Rachel Conn, Interim Executive Director, Amigos Bravos, 575-770-832, rconn@amigosbravos.org
