The long-running uranium tailings cleanup along the Colorado River took another step towards completion with a fresh set of eyes.
A team from the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education made its first visit to the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project this month to independently verify that the federal government’s cleanup is working as intended.
ORISE teams check whether radiation levels in the soil, water, and air meet safety standards after the removal of toxic waste from the site. The organization is an independent third party that’s done similar work at other nuclear sites across the country.
The Moab UMTRA project has been underway since 2009. Its goal: relocate about 16 million tons of uranium mill tailings left behind by the Atlas Mill, which shut down in the 1980s. So far, over 15 million tons have been hauled by train to a permanent disposal site at Crescent Junction, 30 miles north of town.
So, when will it all be done? According to the Department of Energy, the current timeline puts completion around 2029—though that’s dependent on federal funding levels staying consistent.
Both the City of Moab and Grand County are eyeing the site’s future, supporting a bill by Senator John Curtis that would turn control over the site back to local authorities upon completion of the project. Local leaders hope to eventually transform the riverfront property into open space, possibly including trails, parkland, or public gathering areas. But before that happens, the land has to be proven safe.
ORISE uses a mix of soil sampling, radiological surveys, and historical records to confirm whether cleanup goals have actually been met.
Their reports help determine when the land is clean enough to be released from federal control, so ORISE’s review is a key step in showing that the prime piece land on the Colorado River is on its way back to being something the community can use—safely.
-revised June 18, 2025
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