A main attraction at the ceremony was a set of commemorative plaques commissioned at the start of the Moab Project in 2009. One plaque once depicted the tailings pile with 16 movable tiles — each representing 1 million tons of tailings.
Each of those tiles has been transferred to the plaque depicting the Crescent Junction, Utah, disposal cell, where the radioactive material was safely relocated throughout the years. The placement of the final tile at the ceremony signified both the complete disposal of the pile and the achievement of the 16‑million‑ton cumulative milestone.
Since 2009, DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) crews have transported the tailings by rail to the disposal cell, 30 miles to the north of the Moab Site.
“It’s been an honor to work alongside our committed stakeholder groups and local workforce to reach these incredible milestones,” said Matt Udovitsch, federal cleanup director. “Achieving the complete removal of the tailings pile and the 16-million-ton milestone reflects DOE’s commitment to safety and environmental protection.”
With the tailing pile relocated, the project now enters its final phase, which includes:
- Finalizing and implementing a groundwater compliance action plan
- Removing remaining contaminated soils
- Completing radiological verification of cleanup
- Disposing of remaining equipment and infrastructure
- Completing an evapotranspiration cover, which will be the upper-most layer or “cap” on the disposal cell, designed to minimize water infiltration
- Restoring and stabilizing the site, including regrading and revegetating
EM will work with DOE’s Office of Legacy Management to close the Moab Site, which is expected in 2029.