Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 requested public comment on two Underground Injection Control (UIC) Draft Area Permits and one associated proposed aquifer exemption decision for the Dewey-Burdock uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) site located near Edgemont, South Dakota, issued under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act and UIC program regulations. The Dewey-Burdock site is located in southwestern Custer County and northwestern Fall River County, on the Wyoming/South Dakota border.

The EPA Region 8 UIC Program issued two Draft UIC Area Permits to Powertech (USA) Inc., Suite #140, 5575 Denver Technical Center Parkway, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111, for injection activities related to uranium recovery. One is a UIC Class III Area Permit for injection wells for the ISR of uranium; the second is a UIC Class V Area Permit for deep injection wells that will be used to dispose of ISR process waste fluids into the Minnelusa Formation after treatment to meet radioactive waste and hazardous waste standards. The EPA proposed an aquifer exemption approval in connection with the Class III Area Permit to exempt the uranium-bearing portions of the Inyan Kara Group aquifers.

The public comment period ended June 19, 2017.

Public Hearing Information: The EPA held public hearings at the times, dates and locations listed below. The transcript for each public hearing is available for review in the document list below. In the near future, the EPA will add the comments received during the public comment period.

Information Available for Review: All information submitted by the applicant and generated by the EPA during permit application review is available for public review as part of the administrative record on this EPA Region 8 UIC Program website. Available documents include the permit applications, draft permits, fact sheet documents and other supporting documents.

In addition to seeking comments on the Class III and V draft area permits, the EPA also requested public comment on the identification of traditional cultural properties at the Dewey-Burdock Project Site Area of Potential Effects, on the potential adverse effects of the proposed project, and on measures to avoid, minimize or mitigate potential adverse effects on historic and traditional cultural properties pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and 36 CFR § 800.2(d) and § 800.6(a)(4).

The EPA also requested comment on two options for approval of the aquifer exemption that Powertech requested related to the Class III permit application. The two options are discussed in the Aquifer Exemption Draft Record of Decision available on this EPA Region 8 UIC Program website.

The EPA has performed an Environmental Justice (EJ) analysis for the Dewey-Burdock UIC permitting actions and requested comment on the Draft EJ analysis document.

Comments Received During the Public Comment Period:

• Public Comments Regarding the EPA Region 8 Proposed Dewey-Burdock In-Situ Uranium Recovery Project Permitting Actions

Documents:

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• Dewey-Burdock Public Hearing Transcripts
  • Valentine, NE, April 27 Public Hearing Transcript
  • Rapid City, SD, May 8 Public Hearing Transcript
  • Rapid City, SD, May 9 Public Hearing Transcript
  • Hot Springs, SD, May 10 Public Hearing Transcript
  • Edgemont, SD, May 11 Public Hearing Transcript

• Dewey-Burdock Permit Applications
  • Dewey-Burdock Class III Permit Application
    • Appendices
    • Plates
  • Dewey-Burdock Class V Permit Application
• Dewey-Burdock Class V Deep Disposal Injection Well Draft Area Permit
  • Class V Draft Area Permit
  • Class V Draft Area Permit Fact Sheet

• Class V Injection Zone Aquifer Calculations
  • Radius Fluid Displacement
  • Diffusivity Calculations
  • Critical Pressure Calculations

• Dewey-Burdock Class III Draft Area Permit Documents
  • Class III Draft Area Permit
  • Class III Draft Area Permit Fact Sheet
  • Draft Aquifer Exemption Record of Decision
  • Aquifer Exemption Technical Memorandum
  • Capture Zone Calculations 2047
  • Capture Zone Calculations 1000 gpd 2047

• Additional Administrative Record Documents
  • Draft Cumulative Effects Analysis
  • Draft Environmental Justice Analysis
  • Draft EPA National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) 106 Process
  • South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources Jul 2, 2010 Comments to EPA

  • Summary of Notes from Regional Administrator Dec 17, 2014 Meeting with Powertech on the Proposed Dewey Burdock Uranium Project in South Dakota

  • EPA Record of Communication Call on Dec 8, 2016 with Powertech
  • Correspondence with Powertech

Email: shea.valois@epa.gov