WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt will travel to Moab, Utah on Monday afternoon, Nov. 23, 1998 to visit the Atlas Corp. uranium waste site, located near the Colorado River. He will be accompanied during the visit by Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt.

About 10.5 million tons of uranium tailings are in the pile, which is located about 750 feet from the Colorado River in the flood plain. The tailings contain the radioactive remnants of processing uranium ore into warheads for atomic weapons and fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. Scientific studies have indicated that the unlined pile is leaking toxic materials.

The site is on the west bank of the river, about two miles upstream from Moab. It is near Arches National Park and is upstream from Canyonlands National Park.

WHAT: Visit of Secretary Babbitt to the Atlas mine uranium waste site

WHEN: Monday, Nov. 23, 1998.

The Secretary and Gov. Leavitt will view the site, meet with officials at the mine and then meet with local officials.They will be available to the press afterwards, at 1:45 p.m.

WHERE: Lion's Park, junction of Highways 191 & 128

CONTACT: Tim Ahern, Department of Interior, 202-208-5089; pager 1-888-473-7967

Paul Henderson, Canyonlands National Park, 435-259-3911, ext. 2140.

-DOI-

  U.S. Department of the Interior