Defense Related Uranium Mine Sites on Bureau of Land Management lands – Partnership with the Department of Energy and the Abandoned Mine Lands Program
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Washington, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
June 11, 2018
In Reply Refer To:
3720 (280) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 06/14/2018
Information Bulletin No. 2018-062
To: State Directors (AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, and OR)
From: Assistant Director, Resources and Planning
Subject: Defense Related Uranium Mine Sites on Bureau of Land Management lands – Partnership with the Department of Energy and the Abandoned Mine Lands Program
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management have been working together for over five years to identify and validate the abandoned uranium sites that provided uranium ore for the U.S. atomic energy defense activities between 1947 and 1970. Currently, the DOE and the BLM are conducting on-the-ground verification and validation (V&V) efforts at the defense-related uranium mine (DRUM) sites on BLM-managed lands listed in the August 2014 “Defense-Related Uranium Mines Report to Congress”. This Information Bulletin provides information on how DOE and BLM are currently addressing DRUM sites and how those efforts can be expanded further within BLM.
BLM Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have entered into state-level memorandums of understanding (MOU) with DOE to address DRUM sites. Over 90% of DRUMs are located in five states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Of the 4,225 DRUM sites identified nationwide, the DOE has identified at least 2,013 DRUM sites on BLM lands.
The DOE financially supports this work through an interagency agreement (IA) established at the BLM’s Washington Office (WO). In future years, the DOE will reach out to BLM Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon to start work at DRUM sites in those states. A table of the DRUM sites listed in the 2014 report to Congress is attached to this information bulletin. The table lists the number of mines in each state and the land owner, also indicated is the planned schedule for completing V&V work in the states. (Attachment 1)
The DOE has entered into a similar partnership framework with the US Forest Service (USFS). Together, the BLM and USFS collaborate with the DOE in the “Abandoned Uranium Mine Working Group” (AUMWG) at regular intervals. The AUMWG also includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Under the WO IA, DOE provides funds to the BLM to: 1) review and provide updates to the DOE DRUM inventory; 2) perform records searches and GIS analysis to help support and reconcile data in the DOE DRUM inventory; 3) review site verification and validation (V&V) work plans and field procedures to ensure they conform to BLM objectives and authorities; 4) collaborate with DOE and DOE contractors for effective access to DRUM sites on BLM managed lands; 5) observe V&V activities performed at DRUM sites; 6) review and provide input on field reports summarizing the results of the investigations; 7) travel to coordinate V&V activities and to attend meetings to address comments on field reports; and 8) submit annual reports to the DOE Program Office on this agreement one month after the end of each fiscal year summarizing activities performed by each state office for the appropriate year.
Accomplishments under this partnership between the BLM and DOE have already been realized. In 2016, the BLM reviewed and approved the DOE DRUM work plan for V&V on BLM lands in New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. In 2017 the BLM analyzed the DOE data for DRUM sites on BLM lands and field V&V. In New Mexico BLM & DOE inventory of 150 features in Grants Pass area with the IA funding. DOE and BLM Wyoming expanded verification and validation of DRUM sites by executing an MOU between DOE and BLM Wyoming. FY2017 accomplishments include evaluation of over 360 mines in Colorado and Utah.
In 2018 and 2019, DOE has scheduled to inventory DRUMS in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Oregon and Montana have DRUM sites as well. The DOE will reach out to State Office program leads to initiate a partnership with each state BLM office. Each state office with DRUM sites must enter into an MOU or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DOE before using the IA to sequester DOE funds for DRUM work. Please contact Erinn Shirley, AML Coordinator at the WO, for more information.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Kristin Bail Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IT Policy and Planning, WO-870
Resources and Planning
2 Attachments
1- (DOE DRUM Program Overview) (1 p)
2- (DOE DRUM Validation and Verification List and Schedule) (1 p)