Responsible Disposal Reauthorization Act of 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 347) to extend the authorization of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 relating to the disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 347.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, last September the House approved an identical bill, H.R. 2278, in the 115th Congress by a voice vote. Unfortunately, that bill did not move in the Senate, so we are back to reconsider H.R. 347, introduced by Mr. Tipton and cosponsored by my Energy and Commerce colleague, Ms. DeGette.

The Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act established a process for remediating inactive uranium-ore processing sites, such as the one in Grand Junction, Colorado.

To protect public health and safety from potential risks, uranium mill tailings must be disposed at a site that is licensed and that meets standards established by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The continued operation of the Cheney Disposal Cell is critical. Last year, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provided the following for the Record: ``Given that this is the only DOE uranium mill tailings disposal site left in the country, it is critical that this facility remains open to receive and dispose of the uranium mill tailings that are discovered in our communities. This action will ensure the continued protection of human health and the environment.''

The cell receives approximately 2,700 cubic yards of additional waste per year, and has sufficient space to receive an estimated 235,000 cubic yards, which represents 86 more years of operation at current rates.

H.R. 347 would authorize the Department of Energy to continue to operate the Cheney Disposal Cell through September 2048 or until it is filled to capacity. Currently, DOE is authorized to operate this cell through September 2023.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good, bipartisan bill, and I hope we can move it forward today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers on my side, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, for the reasons that this legislation would allow for the only disposal site of its kind in the country, it is important that we pass this important infrastructure concept, and I encourage our colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first, with apologies to our official reporter, and directed at you, ``let the good times roll,'' ``laissez les bons temps rouler.''

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 347, the Responsible Disposal Reauthorization Act of 2019, was introduced by our Colorado colleague, Scott Tipton, and cosponsored by my Energy and Commerce Committee colleague from Colorado, Diana DeGette.

H.R. 347 extends the authorization of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 site in Mesa County, Colorado. The legislation was passed by the House last September, and the bill today is identical to what we passed last year, save a change in dates.

The legislation was considered by the Subcommittee on Environment and marked up through regular order. It was reported by the full committee with a bipartisan amendment by a voice vote.

Mining and processing of uranium generates a byproduct known as uranium mill tailings. Congress passed the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act 4 years ago to establish the framework for DOE to dispose of mill tailings, which are left over from nuclear defense activities and the development of our commercial nuclear industry.

The act also authorized the Grand Junction, Colorado, site to serve as a disposal location. This is the only DOE uranium mill tailings disposal site remaining open in the Nation, so it is necessary for the final disposition of mill tailings discovered in communities.

H.R. 347 extends the site's current authorization until 2031. The extension will enable the site to plan long-term operations to protect public health and the environment.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tipton), the author of the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Illinois for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Energy's Cheney Disposal Cell in Mesa County, Colorado, is a critical component of the DOE legacy management mission to protect public health and the environment.

The cell receives radioactive waste materials that were produced decades ago during the uranium milling process. The waste materials continue to be uncovered during road construction, bridge replacement, home foundation excavation, and other construction activities in several towns in western Colorado. Once the waste materials are discovered, they must be properly disposed of at the Cheney Disposal Cell.

The authorization for the Cheney Disposal Cell expires at the end of 2023, or when the site is filled to capacity. Currently, the remaining capacity in the cell is approximately 234,000 cubic yards, therefore, an extended authorization is required. H.R. 347 would extend the authorization until 2031.

As my colleague from Illinois noted, we passed this legislation in the last Congress, but this bill is now coming up at a critically important time. According to the Department of Energy, if the disposal cell is not reauthorized this year, DOE will have to take steps to begin to decommission the site. This means no more materials will be accepted in 2019 and we will lose a critical component of the DOE's legacy management program.

I thank my colleague from Colorado, Ms. Diana DeGette, for her support on this bill, and for her leadership on the Energy and Commerce Committee for recognizing the need to bring this bill up now.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 347.