DOE Drops $164M on Utah Toxic Waste Cleanup

The Department of Energy just cut a check for $164.1 million. This isn't for a new fancy program, but for the gritty, essential work of cleaning up a mountain of waste left over from a uranium mill in Moab, Utah.

This 'mill tailings pile' is basically a giant pile of radioactive sand sitting dangerously close to the Colorado River. For years, the DOE has been slowly but surely moving this toxic material to a safer, permanent disposal site away from the water.

This huge cash injection means the cleanup crew can keep working at full capacity without cutting corners on safety. For anyone living in Moab or relying on the Colorado River for water, this is great news. It means a huge environmental threat is one step closer to being permanently neutralized.