Residents of White Mesa say uranium mill is polluting their water

WHITE MESA, Utah — Members of White Mesa, within the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe reservation, were at the State Capitol Friday protesting a uranium mill that they say is polluting their water.

White Mesa is a community of about 250 people in Southern Utah. Yolanda Badback has lived there for over 50 years. She said she’s worried about the health and safety of her community.

“We can smell the sulfur in our tap water when we turn it on,” she said. “And that’s something new.”

Scott Clow is the environmental programs director for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. He said his research supports Yolanda’s suspicions.

“The shallower aquafer underneath the mill that’s about 100 feet deep is being polluted by the uranium mill,” he said.

KSL has requested a copy of that data but has yet to receive it.

The owner of the mill, Energy Fuels Incorporated, said uranium mills in the past have caused harm to native reservations. However, there is no evidence that points to the mill causing any adverse health or environmental impacts.

Energy Fuels Incorporated also said today’s mill industry bears little resemblance to the industry of 50-plus years ago.

Hugo Rikard-Bell is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. He primarily reports on immigration, organized crime and human trafficking. Follow him on X.

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