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Navajo Nation determined to get uranium cleanup

The Navajo Nation Diné Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005 prohibits uranium mining within Navajo Indian Country.

Uranium Cleanup is Priority for Navajos NEW MINING IS SECONDARY OFFICIALS SIGN AGREEMENT , Cibola Beacon, July 31, 2012   By Donald Jaramillo Beacon Managing Editor   CIBOLA COUNTY – The Navajo Nation and many of its members have stated it loud and clear, no new uranium mining until cleanup is complete on Navajo lands.
An agreement was signed on July 19 between the Navajo Nation and Hydro Resources, Inc. (HRI), a subsidiary of Uranium Resources, Inc. (URI). The agreement stemmed from a trespass violation that occurred last
October…. Section Two of the agreement states that HRI has further
agreed to complete remediation of any radioactive contamination now
existing on Section 17 or Section 8 (“preexisting contamination”)
prior to commencing its planned in-situ leach uranium operations on
Section 8.
The remediation must ultimately meet the standards of the Navajo
Nation Comprehensive Response Compensation and Liability Act, which is
in accordance with all state and federal laws. Furthermore, no
construction activities or earth disturbance activities of any type
are permitted during the temporary access agreement…. HRI and the
Navajo Nation are currently undergoing confidential negotiations as to
the details of remediation.
A group of Navajo community members identified as ENDAUM (Eastern
Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining) was organized and has continually
challenged HRI for responsible uranium mining since 1994…..
Erick Jantz of the Environmental Law Center said, “The residents will
be engaged in the process. There will be public hearings.”
Morgan added, “The Navajo Nation doesn’t currently have cleanup
regulations under its Superfund law — those regulations will have to
be written. ENDAUM will be engaged in the process to ensure that the
highest cleanup standards are adopted to protect the community.”
Jantz said he is skeptical of HRIs ability to cleanup at Church Rock
because they are struggling to pay for cleanup at their uranium
operations in Texas.
Pelizza said, “I don’t know where they got their information from, but
those words are totally a foul ball. We are totally up to date and
permitted in Texas. They should call the regulators and find out for
themselves. All sites are bonded in cash with the state to ensure that
complete restoration is done even if URI was not able to do so.”
He added, “Over the years, ENDAUM has challenged numerous times and
has not been successful. There are hundreds of legacy sites in the
Four Corners area. We only own one of them and are committed to
cleaning it up and will continue to work with the Navajo Nation to do
so.”
Editor’s Note: The Navajo Nation Diné Natural Resources Protection Act
of 2005 prohibits uranium mining within Navajo Indian Country. http://www.cibolabeacon.com/news/uranium-cleanup-is-priority-for-navajos/article_fdfa09de-daa7-11e1-8a37-0019bb2963f4.html

August 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | indigenous issues, Uranium, USA