As spring nears and the weather warms, you may find yourself thinking of summer vacations and road trips. If the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States is on your list of possible destinations this summer (and if it isn’t, maybe it should be), your first stop might be the interactive website, Atomic Legacy Discovery Guide: Colorado Plateau, created by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management (LM). This interactive guide will help you brush up on many facts about the region, even if you’re not planning a trip through the area this year.
LM is the caretaker of legacy sites that played a critical role in America’s nuclear history. The office is currently responsible for 19 sites on the Colorado Plateau that processed uranium during World War II and the Cold War. LM not only manages the sites under its stewardship, but also focuses on moving sites toward beneficial reuse - using the legacy sites in beneficial ways that are consistent with its mission to optimize use of public lands and to protect human health and the environment.
The Atomic Legacy Discovery Guide: Colorado Plateau provides visitors a wealth of information about the history, geology, and ecology of the region. Find answers to your questions about why it’s called the Colorado Plateau, why uranium was prevalent in the area, what role the region played during the Manhattan Project, what plants and animals call the area home, and much more. The guide even offers an interactive map showing locations of LM’s sites across the region, the history of those sites, and how LM serves as stewards of the sites, ensuring protection of human health and the environment.
So regardless of whether you live in the area, are planning a trip to the Colorado Plateau soon, or might want to visit at some point in the future, be prepared to impress your family and friends by spending some time with Atomic Legacy Discovery Guide: Colorado Plateau. It will have you looking like the resident expert!
