The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has scheduled a public hearing regarding a proposal to issue a permit to Crow Butte Resources, Inc. (CBR) for the construction and operation of a Class 1 non-hazardous waste injection well.

This proposed permit would be for a second injection well at CBR’s existing site south of Crawford. CBR’s existing Class 1 well, which has been in operation since 1995, is designed to accept waste fluids generated at its in-situ uranium mining operation. The proposed additional Class 1 nonhazardous waste injection well would aid in the disposal of restoration fluids.

The public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 7 p.m. MDT 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 the public may have about the proposed exemption, the proposed expansion and related topics. The information session will be held from 5:30 to 6 p.m. at the auditorium.

The proposed permit provides conditions and injection limits that are the same as those in CBR’s currently operating Class 1 injection well permit. The geologic formations receiving injected waste are restricted to the Lower Dakota, Morrison and Sundance Formations, which are located below the lowermost underground source of drinking water. The permit requires the operator to monitor concentrations of specific parameters in the injection fluids to insure that only non-hazardous wastes are being injected. In addition, the injection well would be monitored on a continuous basis to record the injection process and ensure compliance with permit conditions.

Persons may submit written comments to the proposed aquifer exemption by writing to Michael J. Linder, Director, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 98922, Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-8922, prior to September 23, 2010.

Copies of the fact sheet and information pertaining to the proposed permit will be available 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 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

Individuals requiring special accommodations or alternate formats of materials should notify the Department by calling (402) 471-2186. TDD users should call (800) 833-7352 and ask the relay operator to call the Department at (402) 471-2186.

More information can be found at NDEQ’s web site https://dee.nebraska.gov/home, by going to NDEQ News/Topics of Interest, and selecting “Two Hearings Scheduled Related to Crow Butte Resources.” The direct URL is: https://dee.nebraska.gov/updated-information-crow-butte-resources-north-trend-expansion

Below is a map of the proposed well location:

(See attached file: Crow Butte wellfield-sm.pdf)