New waste and radiation control director outlines portal rollout, tire recycling gains and uranium oversight

Ted Sonnenburg, director of the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control, told the committee he has more than two decades of regulatory and private‑sector experience and that the division’s mission is to ensure safe management of solid and hazardous waste, radioactive materials and to promote recycling and public education.

Sonnenburg said the division now has 10 of 11 programs live in an electronic portal intended to streamline permit and license applications, allowing centralized submissions, integrated payments and 24/7 access. He cited program results: x‑ray compliance at 99%, a solid target delivery rate for permits and licensing, and a large jump in waste tire recycling — "we recycled over 111,000 tons of waste tires" in 2025, compared with roughly 1,300 tons recovered from abandoned piles the prior year. He described ongoing hazardous‑waste cleanup work and said the division oversees an active low‑level radioactive waste disposal facility and Utah’s only operating uranium mill.

Sonnenburg described internal organizational moves (promotion of Larry Kellum to assistant director for nuclear programs) and plans to establish a nuclear energy regulatory office and to expand agreement‑state oversight for some nuclear activities to be as stringent as NRC requirements while moving processes more quickly. He proposed two fee changes to maintain fund sustainability after 2025 changes to transfer‑station disposal fees, and he emphasized compliance assistance for small businesses.

Committee members asked procedural clarifying questions (e.g., x‑ray machine disposal and tribal jurisdictions); Sonnenburg said some equipment is handled through EnergySolutions and noted EPA oversight on tribal lands. The division offered to answer follow‑up questions and the committee thanked Sonnenburg for the briefing.