Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group
Stored: Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Legacy Management |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Secretarial Order No. 3289 of 2009 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group coordinates federal efforts to address health, safety, and environmental risks from abandoned uranium mines. It aims to identify and mitigate hazards from 4,225 defense-related uranium mines through interagency collaboration. |
| Program Start | 2014 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group (AUMWG) is a Department of Energy initiative led by the Office of Legacy Management that unites federal agencies across the United States to tackle the legacy of 4,225 abandoned uranium mines, primarily defense-related sites from 1947-1970, verifying conditions on over 2,500 mines on public lands and restoring safety across 27,000 square miles of tribal and federal land as of 2025. Established in 2014 following a DOE Report to Congress, it has coordinated efforts among the DOE, EPA, DOI, USDA, and others, completing field inventories, gamma radiation surveys, and environmental sampling, with 2025 activities enhancing Navajo Nation cleanup post-Hurricane Helene and advancing the Defense-Related Uranium Mines (DRUM) Program’s safeguarding goals.
Goals
- Coordinate federal efforts to assess and mitigate abandoned uranium mine risks.[1]
- Protect public health, safety, and the environment from radiological hazards.
- Prioritize high-risk mine reclamation through interagency collaboration.
Organization
The Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group was sponsored by the Office of Legacy Management (LM) within the Department of Energy, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations, supporting a consortium of senior leaders and technical staff from DOE, EPA, DOI (e.g., BLM, USFWS), USDA (USFS), and tribal partners, managing efforts across three DRUM campaigns—public lands, tribal lands, and private properties—guided by a steering committee and annual meetings.
The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Director of the Office of Legacy Management, currently Carmelo Melendez (as of February 22, 2025), with AUMWG coordination led by an LM program manager.
History
The Abandoned Uranium Mines Working Group was established in 2014 as a response to the Secretarial Order No. 3289 of 2009, which spurred collaborative climate and conservation efforts, formalized by a DOE Report to Congress identifying 4,225 defense-related uranium mines.[3] It launched with the DRUM Program in 2017, hosting its first meeting in Westminster, Colorado, November 6-7, 2017, and by 2025, completed over 2,500 mine verifications, with key updates like the 2024 DRUM Strategic Plan (2020-2030) and Navajo Nation tours showcasing reclamation techniques.
Funding
Initial funding in 2014 came from Congressional appropriations, with unspecified startup amounts supporting early DRUM efforts.[4] Funding began in 2014 and continues within DOE’s $35.6 million FY 2025 LM budget, supporting field inventories and reclamation across campaigns, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $5 million Navajo-focused safeguarding.
Implementation
The program was implemented through interagency collaboration, verifying mine conditions via field inventories, gamma surveys, and sampling, prioritizing high-risk sites for closure and reclamation.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, managing 4,225 mines across 27,000 square miles, with 2025 efforts enhancing Navajo Nation cleanup post-Helene and integrating DRUM’s safeguarding techniques like bulkheading and netting.
Related
External links
- https://www.energy.gov/lm/defense-related-uranium-mines-program
- https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds - Migratory Bird Program
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:United States Department of Energy
Social media
References
- ↑ "Working Group Addresses Abandoned Uranium Mines," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/lm/articles/working-group-addresses-abandoned-uranium-mines, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Defense-Related Uranium Mines Program," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/lm/defense-related-uranium-mines-program, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Defense-Related Uranium Mines Report to Congress," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/lm/defense-related-uranium-mines-program, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Defense-Related Uranium Mines Program," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/lm/defense-related-uranium-mines-program, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "Working Group Addresses Abandoned Uranium Mines," U.S. Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/lm/articles/working-group-addresses-abandoned-uranium-mines, accessed February 22, 2025.