Colorado Uranium Site Fight Heats Up Over New Bill

Located about 18 miles southeast of Grand Junction is the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grand Junction Disposal Site, which securely stores 4.4 million cubic yards of Cold War-era uranium mill tailings.

Mesa County’s uranium disposal site (the only cell of its kind in Colorado) is scheduled to be closed later this year unless Congress passes a bill to extend the life of the site. Continue scrolling to see why some want the site kept open, and others want it closed on schedule.

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Western Colorado’s Uranium Legacy Is Back In The Spotlight

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In 2026, Uranium mining in Western Colorado is driving a brand-new debate. Some lawmakers want Grand Junction’s uranium disposal site to extend operations, and others want it to shut down according to plan. Unless a bill is passed, the site will close. If so, uranium waste from cleanup projects will need to be transported elsewhere. This means taxpayers could be looking at millions for high-risk transport and disposal of uranium materials elsewhere, likely to Utah.

What Is The Grand Junction Uranium Disposal Site—And Why Does It Exist?

The Grand Junction uranium disposal site stores low-level radioactive waste from Western Colorado’s Cold War-era uranium processing, when tailings were widely used in construction. Tailings were used for some time around Grand Junction before the full risks were realized. Today, the site is part of our state’s only long-term disposal facility for contaminated materials removed from homes and properties across the region.

Why Lawmakers Support It—And Why It’s Controversial

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According to a report from KKCO11 News, those in favor of keeping the site want to see operations continue until the cell is filled. Opponents note the prolonged exposure risks of a disposal site, as some residents live within a couple of miles of the site. A bipartisan bill would need to be passed by Congress to prevent the closure, which could likely occur at the end of the year without action.