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Sheep Mountain Alliance (SMA) joined with the Colorado Environmental Coalition, Energy Minerals Law Center and the Western Mining Action Network to oppose Denison Mines’ proposed expansion of the Sunday Mine Complex, located on public land in western San Miguel County. The comment letter submitted on December 5th, in response to the BLM’s Environmental Assessment states plainly, “We do not agree with uranium mining or Denison’s alleged claims that it has the right to mine on American soil.”
Included in the half dozen, detailed objections is the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which bans foreign ownership of source nuclear material. Denison Mines, the owners of the Sunday Mine Complex, is a Canadian corporation.
Also named were the irrevocable economic, human health, and environmental damage mine expansion would have as well as the direct effects to nearby eligible historical sites.
The three page letter, addressed to the San Juan Public Lands Center, also states that Denison, in its proposal for expansion, failed to disclose its proximity to two proposed wilderness areas: Snaggletooth area and McKenna Peak as well as Naturita Canyon recognized for its wilderness qualities and included in the proposed San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act as No Surface Occupancy.
According to the letter, attached, Denison has a history of non-compliance with government regulations and has made previously false claims about the use of public lands.
The letter stressed that “The public, not a foreign company, has the right to determine what activities occur on public land.”
The BLM’s comment period ended on December 5, 2008. The BLM is expected to release a decision on the expansion proposal in January.
READ THE COMMENT LETTER |
