not the go

Panel votes against Black Range proposal
Thursday, 09 September 2010
In a 4-2 decision Wednesday, the Fremont County Planning Commission voted not to recommend approval of the expansion of Black Range Minerals exploration in the Tallahassee Creek area.
Joe Caruso and Herm Lateer voted for the recommendation. Mike Schnobrich was not present.
The company has applied to amend its 2008 conditional use permit to include an additional 2,210 acres of property south of CR 2 and west of CR 21 and 21A. The property is leased from various land owners.
Consideration of the application was tabled Aug. 3 after multiple citizens expressed concerns about the project.
Tuesday, additional citizens were permitted time to speak.It looks like a major change as opposed to a minor
change, said Nancy Seger.
Lee Alter expressed concerns about the number of changes in the application.This cannot be considered a simple amendment, Alter said. The only thing thats similar is that its Black Range Minerals. Alter also expressed concerns about water quality in the area. Black Ranges own data shows contamination has
increased, he said. Ben Vallerine, exploration manager-USA, Black Range Minerals, and hydrologist Susan Wyman responded.We are monitoring ground water, Vallerine said despite the company not drilling monitoring wells.
Weve collected a significant amount of ground water data from domestic wells and surface water, Wyman said. Water
varies a bit, within the range of natural variation.
Wyman said a few of the wells naturally have elevated radiation levels because of the uranium in the surrounding rock. My ethics would not allow me to misstate what the data is saying, she said.Right now, all theyre doing is drilling a hole, Caruso said. I see it to be done in a very responsible manner right now.
Leslie Suleiman and Anita Minton each expressed concerns about statements that the domestic well testing could be called baselines because it was begun after initial
testing began. Minton indicated that data from 1976 would
be a true baseline.Wyman said the company has the 1976 data and that it shows the current levels are within the natural range.As a scientist, Im not seeing a difference, Wyman saidVallerine said the area was first mined for uranium in the 1950s. Were never going to get a baseline thats satisfactory, he said.Im not sold on tests that have been done, said Commissioner Tom Doxey. Commissioner Byron Alsup also was not convinced about the issues of water contamination. Im not discounting whats going on up there, Caruso said. There are differences in how mining is done now than 50 years ago.
Chairman Dean Sandoval said the company has done an excellent job presenting its application, however, he allowed the Master Plan to direct him in making his decision. The application will go to the Fremont County Commissioners for a public hearing Tuesday. In 2008, the Planning Commission also voted against Black Range Minerals CUP and the county commissioners voted for it.

Rachel Alexander
The Daily Record