..Including $97 Million for Utah
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate and House conferees have concluded work on the Energy and Water Appropriations conference report, which includes over $97 million for Utah energy and water projects requested by Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah), and both chambers will vote on final passage this week before sending the bill to the president for final approval.
House and Senate conferees spent the last few months ironing out differences between the two versions of the bill, including funding for clean up efforts at the Atlas Mill Tailings site in Grand County. As a member of the conference committee, Bennett worked to keep the Senate number of $28 million in the bill instead of the House level of $18 million.
"I’m extremely pleased we prevailed in maintaining the higher funding level for moving the Atlas tailings pile," said Bennett. "We're at a critical point in the process and the full $28 million is essential to keep the project on schedule. These funds help us clear an important hurdle in relocating the mill tailings to a permanent site."
The Department of Energy announced in April that its preferred alternative was to move the tailings pile offsite, away from the Colorado River. This recommendation became part of the final Environmental Impact Statement issued in July and made official with the Record of Decision in September.
The site contains 11.8 million tons of mill tailings and contaminated debris, groundwater and land. As the pile continues to leach contaminants to the river through the groundwater, concerns rise over the potential impact on habitat of endangered native fish species, the environment, and downstream water users. Public interest is also heightened by the site's proximity to a wetlands preserve and Arches National Park.
The bill also included $1.5 million for the University of Utah’s Utah Center for Heavy Oil Research.
“With energy prices hitting all-time highs, finding alternative sources of energy has never been more important,” said Bennett. “Utah is fortunate to have abundant oil shale reserves, and research should be conducted to determine the best way to bring this resource to the marketplace.”
http://bennett.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=248399
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