Goats offered as alternative for clearing area of plutonium

[Judi Lynn]

Goats offered as alternative for clearing area of plutonium
Feb 1, 4:51 PM EST

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- A goat herder who has a college degree in weed sciences told federal wildlife officials that she could eliminate the need for a possible 700-acre controlled burn at the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge by turning her goats loose there and eliminate concerns over spreading radioactive plutonium.

Lani Malmberg said it's unwise to burn land that has been exposed to the toxic metal, and she said her goats won't suffer any ill consequences.

The refuge was created in 2006 in the wake of the nuclear weapons site's closure, and a $7 billion cleanup was finished in 2005. Concerns that a controlled burn there could put plutonium into the air prompted Boulder's Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center and surrounding communities to take a stance against that happening.

A spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service eight-state Mountain-Prairie regional office in Denver said it's the agency's current position that grazing is not an option at the Department of Energy weapons plant-turned-wildlife refuge because of a lack of fencing and staff.

More:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GOATS_PLUTONIUM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-02-01-16-51-45

[djean111]

1. "grazing is not an option at the Department of Energy weapons plant-turned-wildlife refuge because

of a lack of fencing and staff."

There is hope on the horizon, though - for only $148 million, the Fish and Wildlife Service can order an F-35 and just strafe the area. Problem solved!

[Sanity Claws]

2. How could the goats not be harmed?

I don't understand that part at all.

[brer cat]

3. I don't understand that either.

I know goats eat just about anything, but radio-active material seems a big stretch. Great news if true.

[Warpy]

4. Perhaps the per plant concentration is very low

Also, the goats have a limited enough life span that development of cancers would likely not be much of an issue for them.

And the area isn't fenced? Oh, my. Perhaps it should be. In the meantime, herding dogs can do a good job on even the most ornery goats.

Goats are under utilized, IMO. Here they have a preference for invasive plants so they're used to clear salt cedar and Russian olive from the Rio Grande.