Dust-up
Take uranium contamination off our land, Navajos urge federal nuclear officials the EPA to move the mine debris to the mill. Most of the uranium mining and milling on and around the Navajo Nation occurred before environmental regulations were in place to safeguard human health. When the industry shut down in the 1980s, companies closed shop, leaving hundreds of abandoned uranium mines, extensive surface and groundwater contamination, Radon gas releases and vast amounts of radioactive soil and mining debris. The swirling dust outside was a consistent theme during the Friday afternoon session as residents described a generational struggle with significant health risks from uranium contamination. “I’m glad we don’t have air sampling going, because that might scare some people,” said Dariel Yazzie, head of the Navajo Nation EPA Superfund program. Yazzie connected the swirling dust outside to historic uranium exposure experienced by residents. Prior to running water being made available to them, people used to haul water in open containers, he said. “Guess what? You’re sitting there with a little bit of dust on you. Everything had dust on it. Where does that dust come from? Right behind us.” Residents described growing up playing in contaminated landscapes, drinking water from mine sites, not told that it was dangerous. Commissioners heard about the worry parents feel about whether their children
BY MARJORIE CHILDRESS New Mexico In Depth
T
KALEN GOODLUCK FOR NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH
NEWS
SFREP O RTE R .CO M / N E WS
COURTESY NAVAJO NATION
he gale-force winds that swept across New Mexico on Friday, driving fires and evacuations, gave Diné residents in a small western New Mexico community an opportunity to demonstrate first hand the danger they live with every day. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) members were in the Red Water Pond Road community, about 20 minutes northeast of Gallup, to hear local input on a controversial plan to clean up a nearby abandoned uranium mine. It was the first visit anyone could recall by NRC commissioners to the Navajo Nation, A sign in Diné that reads “Leetso Dooda,” meaning “No Uranium,” stands south of the Quivira (forwhere the agency regulates four uranium merly Kerr-McGee) uranium mine in the Red Water Pond Road community and next to a community mills. Chairman Christopher Hanson called meeting house. the visit historic, and the significance was visare safe playing outside. Others implored Montgomery said current law only allows ible with Navajo Nation President Jonathan commissioners to help speed up the cleanup the EPA to go so far. It can’t site or create faNez and other Navajo officials in attendance. process, which has taken decades, as health cilities for disposal, or ask a private party to As commissioners listened to 20 or so peoimpacts like cancer and lung disease, which do it either, he said. The agency is working ple give testimony over several hours Friday have stretched across generations, continue. to identify locations on federal land for othafternoon, high winds battered the plastic “This is not right, it brings anger,” said er mine cleanups, Montgomery said, but for sheeting hung on the sides of the Cha’a’oh, or Benally about decades living with the con- the Church Rock area there are no easy solushade house, making it hard for some in the tamination. “I’m 64 years old now, when tions for taking the waste out of Indian counaudience of many dozens to hear all that was they first came I was only 12. How long are try. Should the NRC not approve the current said. “This is like this every day,” community we going to stay here and plead and cry.” She plan, the agency would be at an “impasse” member Annie Benally told commissioners, urged commissioners to save the dust on that would take years to move beyond, he mentioning the dust being whipped around them so that when they’re back home they’ll said. outside by the wind. “They say it’s clean, it’s remember. Montgomery suggested that Navajo asOK. But we have more piles back there and The multiple hours of testimony conclud- pirations to remove all uranium mine waste you see it blowing this way.” ed with remarks by Nez, who put a from their land would be difficult to achieve Benally was referring to piles point on the message residents were by the EPA alone. “If the solution for all the of contaminated radioactive soil sending: The mining waste should be mines is to take all the waste off of tribal land, and debris at two adjacent abanmoved completely outside of their it’s going to require a dialogue that’s possibly doned uranium mines. One mine community. outside our authority,” he said. is near enough to the shade house “This is what the Navajo peoMontgomery’s answers seemed to conthat its gate is visible. The US ple live with, just imagine 500 open found Baran. “Would EPA proceed with the Environmental Protection Agency uranium mines on a windy day,” Nez mill site option if the community it is meant wants to move some of that waste said, “...the Navajo people in this area to benefit opposes it?” he asked. to a mill site regulated by the NRC, have lived with this for a very long “There are a lot of perspectives within the where contaminated groundwater time, so we plead with you, I plead community,” Montgomery said. “You can’t alis still being cleaned up. To drive with you, let’s get this waste, and ways get everyone to agree.” north of Church Rock to the Red get it way far away from the Navajo Nez challenged those remarks later in the Water Pond Road community is to Nation.” meeting after Baran asked if he wanted to reappreciate how close that mill site The EPA cleanup plan wouldn’t spond to any of Montgomery’s comments. is to the surrounding community. “I’ve heard a hundred percent of my move the contamination far, though, It sits one mile south of the shade just to the nearby mill site. At the Navajo relatives there say they didn’t want house, on private land but right public meeting Friday evening, the waste. So I’m just wondering, who are next to a highway driven every day NRC commissioner Jeff Baran these individuals who can’t agree?” he by local residents. After Friday asked San Francisco-based EPA asked. afternoon’s listening session, the Region 9 Superfund and Emergency federal commissioners conducted New Mexico In Depth, an SFR partner, is Management Director Michael a public meeting in Gallup in the a nonprofit news organization that produces Montgomery whether there are othevening where they heard from Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Nuclear Regulatory investigative, data and solutions-rich stories er disposal locations outside Indian EPA officials. The NRC is expected Commissioner Christopher Hanson discuss cleanup. that can be catalysts for change. country but still reasonably close. to decide in June whether to permit # 8
APRIL APRIL27-MAY 27-MAY3,3,2022 2022 •• SFREPORTER.COM SFREPORTER.COM
