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S. 1321 · Senate bill · 119th Congress
This bill allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to convey the Moab site to Grand County, Utah, at no cost when it finishes cleaning up uranium mill tailings (i.e., radioactive waste) at the site. (The Moab site is a uranium milling site located approximately three miles northwest of Moab, Utah.)
DOE must retain certain water rights that are necessary to carry out its responsibilities, such as maintaining access to wells and the associated surface footprint of the wells if the remediation of groundwater is ongoing at the time of the conveyance.
The conveyance of the site must include a provision that prohibits Grand County from reconveying to a private entity or nonprofit organization any portion of the land conveyed to the county.
This Act may be cited as the “Moab UMTRA Project Transition Act of 2025”.
Section 3405(i) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (10 U.S.C. 8720 note; Public Law 105–261) is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (5);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5); and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(6) Transfer of Moab site to Grand County.—
(A) In general.— Subject to subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D), on achieving a remedial action completion status sufficient for land conveyance, as determined by the Secretary of Energy in consultation with relevant regulatory authorities, and subject to any regulatory or use restrictions, if determined necessary to protect human health and safety by the Secretary of Energy or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (including restrictions pursuant to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.) and part 192 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)), the Secretary of Energy shall convey, at no cost, all available right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Moab site to Grand County, Utah.
(B) Retention of certain water rights.— In carrying out the conveyance under subparagraph (A), in accordance with applicable law, the Secretary of Energy shall ensure that the United States retains such water rights as the Secretary of Energy determines necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Secretary of Energy under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.), part 192 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), and other applicable requirements, including, if the remediation of groundwater is ongoing at the time of the conveyance, such rights as are necessary to maintain access to wells and the associated surface footprint of those wells.
(C) Prohibition.— The conveyance under subparagraph (A) shall include a provision that prohibits Grand County, Utah, from reconveying to a private entity or nonprofit organization any portion of the land conveyed to Grand County, Utah, under that subparagraph.
(D) Additional terms and conditions.— The Secretary of Energy may require such additional terms and conditions in connection with the conveyance under subparagraph (A) as the Secretary determines necessary to protect the interests of the United States.”.
(a) Conveyance.— On achieving remedial action completion status as described in section 3405(i)(6)(A) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (10 U.S.C. 8720 note; Public Law 105–261) (as amended by section 2(3)), the Secretary of Energy shall convey, at no cost, to the Grand County Water Conservancy District all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the following infrastructure associated with the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action project:
(1) The water pipeline extending from the Green River extraction site to the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Crescent Junction site.
(2) All associated pump stations and diesel-powered pumps and related easements or rights-of-way.
(3) The holding pond located at the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Crescent Junction site.
(b) Water rights.—
(1) In general.— On achieving the remedial action completion status described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall transfer to the Grand County Water Conservancy District the Crescent Junction water right associated with the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action.
(2) Requirement.— Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary of Energy may retain such water rights at the site described in that paragraph as are strictly necessary to complete remaining groundwater remediation or other responsibilities under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.).
(c) Conditions of transfer.— The Secretary of Energy shall include as a condition of the conveyances under this section—
(1) a requirement that the Grand County Water Conservancy District use the infrastructure and rights conveyed pursuant to the conveyances to address the water deficit in communities serviced by the Grand County Water Conservancy District; and
(2) a prohibition on conveying the infrastructure and rights conveyed pursuant to the conveyances to a private entity or nonprofit organization.