Tooele County Commissioner Colleen Johnson has been appointed to the Utah State Radiation Control Board by Gov. Jon Huntsman.

Johnson’s duties will include helping the board make decisions regarding the licensing and regulation of EnergySolutions, along with the regulation of other significant sources of radiation.

Johnson will replace Joette Langianese, who joined the board in 2005. Langianese, from Moab, served on the Grand County Council but due to term limits did not seek re-election in 2008. Johnson will serve out the remainder of Langianese’s term, which will end in July 2010. By statute, the seat must be filled by an elected county official.

“I am excited to serve on the board,” said Johnson. “I have no predetermined agenda to pursue, but having served as a commissioner in the county that is home to EnergySolutions I do have an understanding of what EnergySolutions is doing in our county.”

Johnson is uncertain of the role the board will play in EnergySolutions’ request to import foreign waste and accept depleted uranium, which was recently classified as Class A low-level radioactive waste by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

During last year’s election, Johnson stated she was in favor of allowing foreign nuclear waste into the county.

At the state Radiation Control Board’s most recent meeting held March 7 — which Johnson did not participate in because her appointment had not been confirmed by the senate at that time — the board voted to recommend that the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission deny EnergySolutions’ application to import foreign nuclear waste, stating that the United States should save all available space for domestically produced waste.

Johnson said she doesn’t anticipate spending all of her time on the board dealing with EnergySolutions’ business, however.

“I attended an orientation conducted by the director of the Division of Radiation Control,” Johnson said. “I learned that regulating EnergySolutions is only a small part of the division’s business. A lot of their work involves X-rays at dentist and doctors offices.”

Tooele County has a long history of representation on the Radiation Control Board, according to Rep. Jim Gowans, D-Tooele.

“Leland Hogan served as the chairman of the Radiation Control Board when it was first organized while he was a county commissioner,” Gowans said. “County commissioners Teryl Hunsaker and Gene White both served on the board. It has been five years since somebody from Tooele County occupied a position on the board and I hope the governor will re-appoint Colleen when this position expires. With EnergySolutions here in our county, I think it is important that we be represented on the board.”

Tim Gillie: tgillie@tooeletranscript.com