Forest Service Says Uranium Is Something That HasTto Be Considered...

Jul 17 2008 8:32AM
Associated Press

Forest Service says uranium is something that has to be considered

BELFIELD, N.D. (AP) Residents of southwestern North Dakota say the idea of uranium mining is not something they welcome.

Anje Cymbaluk, who lives north of Belfield, says she told her husband she'd leave if mines are opened in the area.

Wayde Schafer, of the Sierra Club, says the health risk from exposed uranium affects humans and wildlife. He says strong winds could below the uranium around.

The comments came at a public meeting held by the Forest Service this week.

Formation Resources is a Bismarck-based subsidiary of Australia-based PacMag Metals. It wants to take the dirt samples from 17,000 acres of public grasslands near private land where it already is drilling for uranium.

The company also proposes a plant near Belfield or Bowman to treat and burn coal to extract the uranium.

Federal officials estimate it would take about ten years before any mining could be done.

Lonny Bagley is the field manager for the Bureau of Land Management. He says his agency would be in charge of issuing any uranium mining leases on the grasslands, if it gets to that point.

Bagley says officials just cannot say, "we don't like it." He says they have to take a look at it.

Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 07-17-08 0821CDT |