This bill changes the rules for a radioactive waste disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado. Right now, the law says the site must stop taking waste by September 30, 2031, even if there is still plenty of room left to store materials safely.
The site is used to store uranium mill tailings, which are the sandy leftovers from processing uranium ore. Because these materials are radioactive, they must be buried in specially designed, lined pits to keep them from blowing away or leaking into the water supply.
If this bill passes, the site can stay open until it is completely full rather than closing on a specific date. This provides a long-term, local place to dispose of contaminated soil found during road work or building projects in the area, which saves money on shipping waste to distant locations.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Mar 5, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mar 5, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Responsible Containment Reauthorization Act of 2026
Bill NumberS 4005
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
