Nuclear recycling may come to area

The atomic revival is continuing in the Four Corners area. Right on the heels of the reopening of a dozen uranium mines in western Colorado, the resurrection of the White Mesa Mill in Blanding and thousands of new uranium mining claims, two sites in New Mexico have been short-listed as possible nuclear fuel recycling centers.

Last week, the Department of Energy announced that 11 sites in the nation are being studied as potential homes for a nuclear fuel recycling center. Such a plant would take spent fuel from nuclear power plants and separate radioactive waste from still usable uranium. The push is part of President Bush’s Global Nuclear Energy Partnership initiative.

“As our economy grows, so will the need for reliable, emissions-free energy generation,” said Dennis Spurgeon, Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy.

In its pursuit of recycled nuclear power, the DOE award $16 million in grant funding to 11 different commercial and public companies. The funding will be spent to test the feasibility at 11 sites, including the two in New Mexico.

Spurgeon noted, “We are pleased that so many communities across the country are interested in hosting the initial facilities necessary to support this exciting project.”

One site, located in southeast New Mexico north of Carlsbad, has been proposed by a coalition of county officials from Lea and Eddy counties. EnergySolutions, a Utah nuclear services company, is behind the second site, located further north near Roswell. The company has also proposed sites in Idaho and South Carolina and claims to be the only American company with technology and expertise to recycle spent nuclear fuel.    “This is a tremendous opportunity for our company and for America,” said Steve Creamer, president and CEO of EnergySolutions. “If we can establish the recycling of spent nuclear fuel, it will help facilitate increased use of safe, clean nuclear power, which is so important for the environment and for our nation’s efforts to lessen our dependency on foreign sources of energy.”

Neither the DOE nor EnergySolutions commented on the transport or disposal of the toxic and radioactive waste. The grant funding will be awarded shortly after the first of the year, and the feasibility studies are expected to begin immediately thereafter.

Affordable housing plan in the works

Local affordable housing may be getting on track. This week, the La Plata County Regional Housing Authority announced its partnership with Enterprise Community Partners to complete a Regional Strategic Housing Plan for La Plata County.

Enterprise is a national organization that works throughout the country to create innovative programs and policies that can create and expand affordable housing opportunities in local communities. Since 1982, the company has produced more than 190,000 affordable homes and strengthened hundreds of communities.

“This is an incredible opportunity to partner with a national entity; their expertise and resources are unparalleled,” said Jennifer Lopez, executive director for the housing authority. “Through Enterprise, the regional housing authority will have access to housing policies and tools that will be critical to the success of our efforts here in La Plata County.”

Peter Werwath, Enterprise’s vice-president of program services, was in Durango this week and met with government officials, developers, bankers and realtors to discuss the affordable housing issues in La Plata County.

Since the early 1980s, Werwath has helped establish new organizations and housing policies that provide affordable homes for thousands of low and moderate-income families. Most recently, Werwath led an effort to help local and state governments rebuild communities after the devastation of the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes.

With La Plata County, Enterprise has recognized a unique opportunity to test affordable housing programs in the mountain west. “There is a lot of support and momentum (here), which has created a window of opportunity in this region,” Werwath said. “We are excited to participate with the regional housing authority in this strategic planning effort.”

Over the next year, Werwath will be working closely with the housing authority to analyze the local housing market and propose programs and policies to address affordable housing issues unique to La Plata County. In the spring of next year, a plan will be unveiled at a strategic housing workshop.

Silverton’s first film fest a success

More than 200 people packed into the Miners Union Theatre for Silverton’s first film festival, “The Beating,” last week. Sixteen, five-minute ski films were shown to the standing room only crowd, in an event that was a fund-raiser for a scholarship fund in honor of Andy Calloway, a young, local snowboarder killed in a car accident last summer.

Chris Jerard, publisher of Freeskier Magazine, Mike Sharp of NossaTV.com, and photographer Scott Smith judged the movies on three criteria – creativity, quality and entertainment value. The evening’s big stand-outs were: “Icon 5 Treat,” from Ibis Films in Japan; “Smooth Denali,” from Matt Hobbs of Aspen; and Silverton’s own Jason Ebelheiser’s “Northsiders.”  In the end, Best Overall Film honors went to Two Plank Productions out of Crested Butte, and the boys from Crested Butte won a tour of Studio 411 in California. The award for the Best “Oh Shit” Moment went to Ebelheiser’s “Northsiders.” 

Durangoans who missed out on “The Beating” can still see the films online and participate in the viewers’ choice award which will give one lucky filmmaker $500. Visit www.nossaTV.com before Dec. 10 to cast your vote.

Sheriff’s deputies nab burglary ring  

A string of burglaries came to an end last Saturday when La Plata County Sheriff’s deputies executed two search warrants on two homes in the City of Durango. The search warrants were for items taken in several residential burglaries in the county.  

Many stolen items were recovered from the two residences, including flat screen televisions, guns, expensive curios, and other household items and electronics. The majority of the items came from homes in the Lemon and Vallecito areas.  

Dustin Adcock, 20, Freddie Benevides, 34, and Joseph Kyle, 37, all residents of Durango were arrested in connection with the thefts. All three face charges of Second Degree Burglary, a class three felony.  

It is estimated that between seven and 10 homes around Vallecito and Lemon were burglarized in the last few weeks. Many of them were vacation homes, and the owners still don’t even know they were robbed.

– compiled by Will Sands