Uranium bills make it to governor's desk

Two bills aimed at strengthening state oversight of mining passed the Colorado General Assembly today and are now headed for Gov. Bill Ritter’s desk.

Fort Collins’ legislative delegation was key in getting the bills passed.

House Bill 1161, sponsored by Reps. Randy Fischer and John Kefalas, both Fort Collins Democrats, and by Sens. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, and Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, would heighten state regulations over uranium mining.

It would require all uranium mining operations in Colorado to meet basic environmental and water quality standards, and require mining companies to prove they could return groundwater to pre-mining conditions or to pre-existing state water quality standards.

Industry representatives worked with the legislators to make the bill more palatable, but still said the bill was too strict and would hurt the industry.

Mining opponents, who are trying to stop a proposed in-situ uranium mine in northwest Weld County, said they were grateful for the lawmakers’ work.

See Tuesday's Tribune for more on this story.