The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a comment period and public hearing regarding a proposed Class III Underground Injection Control Permit submitted by Crow Butte Resources Inc. This permit is associated with a proposed expansion area for the Crow Butte uranium mining facility, in an area north of Crawford that is referred to as North Trend (see map below).

The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 22, 2011 at the auditorium of the Crawford Public High School, 908 5th St., Crawford. Prior to the public hearing, NDEQ will host an information session to informally answer questions about the proposed permit and related topics. The information session will be held from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the auditorium. In addition, the public may submit written comments to the agency during the public comment period, which is open through June 22.

The proposed North Trend Expansion Area includes approximately 1,165 acres, and the production zone associated with the proposed Class III permit would be from an approximate depth of 350 feet below ground surface at the northern and southern permit boundary to 700 feet below ground surface in the center of the permit boundary. The proposed mining would consist of injection of a sodium carbonate/bicarbonate solution along with an oxidant to the uranium-bearing formation through a pattern of injection wells. The solution would be pumped from the recovery wells to the satellite plant where the uranium would be extracted.

Persons may request a fact sheet, may comment upon, or object to the proposed Class III permit by writing to Michael J. Linder, Director, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-8922, prior to June 23, 2011.

Copies of the fact sheet and all information pertaining to the preliminary decision to issue the permit will be available for viewing and copying at the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, Suite 400, 1200 N Street, The Atrium, in Lincoln and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, 430 East Second Street, in Chadron between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm weekdays, or mailed upon request.

More information, including the Fact Sheet, the Public Notice, and the proposed permit, can be found at NDEQ’s web site https://dee.nebraska.gov/home, by going to NDEQ News/Topics of Interest, and selecting “Updated Information on Crow Butte Resources Proposed Expansion.” The direct URL is: https://dee.nebraska.gov/updated-information-crow-butte-resources-north-trend-expansion