In 2005, a spill of organic solvents from a uranium mill south of Canon city killed 40 ducks and geese. Now, however, the question is whether incidences of water pollution from the mine, owned by Cotter Corp. is behind a slew of health problems experienced by the local population.

In response to the expressed concerned of residents and the medical community, this week has seen the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency launch a full scale public health review of the area. This is the first study of its kind since the mine started operating in 1958. The purpose of the review is to investigate the link between possible pollution of the groundwater supply, and the observed increase of a variety of health disorders, such as cancer and neurological problems, in the Cañon City area.

In 1988, the Cotter Corp. uranium mill was declared a Superfund site; a Superfund site being any land that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by Environmental Protection Agency as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health. However, although the site is currently not in use, the cleanup has only partially been carried out. And incidences of proven water pollution have been frequent.

Earlier in the summer, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued a Notice of Violation to Cotter Corp. for exceeding groundwater standard for uranium. And on Sunday, the Denver Post reported that both state documents and Cotter mill operators have confirmed that a new plume of contaminated groundwater is spreading from the mill toward Cañon City and the Arkansas River.

As it seems that groundwater pollution from the site certainly exists, the Environmental Protection Agency is looking into how many of the residents are relying on the groundwater for drinking or cooking and the current review is investigating the potential impact to public health.

Concerns about water and air pollution from Uranium mining and the consequences of such pollution on the local environment and humans is by no means unique to Cañon City. With the current uranium mining rush, citizens and legislators are uniting in trying to tighten regulations and in some cases prevent mines from opening.

In Wyoming, the Department of Environmental Quality has issued a notice of violation to Power Resources Inc., which operates an in-situ leach uranium mine north of Douglas. Previously touted as a “model” Uranium mine, its website proclaims that it “uses an environment-friendly in-situ recovery (ISR) mining technique to extract uranium.” However, the investigative report filed details several environmental concerns including delayed restoration of groundwater and “routine” spills as a result of mining operations.

In Northern Colorado proposals to build a Uranium mine near Fort Collins and Greeley by Powertech Uranium Corporation has been strongly opposed by the group Coloradoans Against Resource Destruction (CARD), which is concerned about the health, environmental and economic impacts that proposals to mine uranium would have on northern Colorado.

The proposed open-pit area would take place 7 miles from Fort Collins, within 20 miles of 275,000 residents and members of CARD believe that there is a high risk that deadly radioactive compounds will leach outside of the uranium deposit and contaminate Front Range water supplies.

Given the track record of the Cañon City and Wyoming mines it would seem that their concerns are well justified. The objective stated on their website is to pull together as a community and prevent mining from destroying their local economy, water, health, and environment and in their words, “protect our valuable resources, especially water, for future generations.”