Update: From the Cañon City Daily Record (Rachel Alexander):
In January, Cotter submitted an estimate of $2,891,319 to which the department responded with an estimate of $15,066,000. At the Community Advisory Group meeting, Oct. 28, Steve Tarlton, radiation control project manager for CDPHE, explained the differences in the initial estimates and how the department and company came to the new estimate. “We were proposing active systems, they were proposing passive systems,” Tarlton said of the initial numbers, stating the main difference was in scope.
Following the initial estimates, informal negotiations were undertaken to attempt to come to an agreement, Tarlton said. The negotiations addressed three groundwater plumes: Lincoln Park north the De Weese Dye Ditch, the SCS Dam to the the De Weese Dye Ditch and the facility itself. The golf course plume was addressed earlier with the license surety. The two parties agreed to a scope of work needed in each area and that was used as a basis of the estimate. The agreed-to scope is not a final decision as to what work will actually need to be done, that will need additional data and a public process. The surety for Lincoln Park is $1,108,074, for the facility is $6,874,684 and for the dam to the ditch it is $1,938,803.
Cotter has a period of time to respond to the estimate from CDPHE before the numbers are made final. Cotter spokesman John Hamrick said the company does not have a comment on the surety process at this time.
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Tracy Harmon):
The Colorado Department of Public Health on Oct. 26 issued an order requiring Cotter Corp. to adjust its $2.6 million surety to $9.9 million to cover estimated costs to install and monitor groundwater wells and prevent groundwater from seeping off site at the currently idle uranium mill just south of Canon City.
On Nov. 5, Cotter attorney Mark Mathews notified the state that Cotter disputes the state’s estimate of $9.9 million and requested an informal mediation…
The state and Cotter officials also are trying to work out an agreement on decommissioning costs when the mill finally closes. State officials estimate the final cleanup cost at $43.7 million, while Cotter Corp. officials estimate it to be $23.2 million. The draft decommissioning funding plan may be viewed at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/cotter/index.htm. Public comment will be accepted through Nov. 24. Comments should be faxed to 303-759-05355 or mailed to Steve Tarlton, manager, Radiation Control Program, Colorado Department of Public Health, 4300 S. Cherry Creek Drive, Denver, CO 80246-1530. E-mail comments also can be sent to steve.tarlton@state.co.us