nuclear-news

CIBOLA COUNTY – “We can’t plant cornfields anymore because the water is contaminated on our homestead, which has been in the family for four generations,” said one Native American woman. “We used to plant one of the largest cornfields in the area.”

She addressed an audience of more than 200 people who participated in the Feb. 20 “Uranium Workers Day” at the Rotunda in Santa Fe and urged people to contact legislators about their concerns.

Another area suffering from contamination is the Pueblo of Laguna, which was once the site of the largest open pit uranium mine in the world. Residents “know first-hand the challenges associated with uranium mining and its aftermath, especially when it comes to the severe impacts it has had on the health and welfare of our community members and the environmental impacts is has had on our lands,” wrote Virgil A. Siow, Pueblo of Laguna governor, in a letter supporting MASE in its activities to raise awareness about mining issues.

“It was a very positive discussion,” recalled Susan Gordon, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment coordinator, about the interactions between community members and legislators at last week’s press conference in the Rotunda.

Many Cibola County residents and a number of people who had formerly lived in the County participated in the Uranium Workers Day event, according to one Grants resident. “The State needs to do its part,” stated Linda Evers, ‘Post 71 member. “The State collected taxes on every pound of uranium that was mined and processed here. The federal government and the Navajo Nation are doing their part. New Mexico needs to do its part.”

The Feb. 20 event highlighted current legislative efforts.

Representative Doreen Johnson introduced House Memorial 70 in the Legislature calling for expanding compensation for all uranium workers in the proposed amendment to the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Representative Georgene Louis introduced a Memorial requesting a base-line health study in impacted communities, according to MASE members.

Representative Eliseo Alcon introduced legislation to appropriate $300,000 to the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department for reclamation of abandoned uranium mines that have been identified as priority sites.

Alcon recalled his career in the uranium industry, “I applied on a Monday and I was (working) underground by Thursday. There was little regulation. It paid well but we were unaware of the health consequences. We need to start cleaning up old mining sites on State land.”

Five times the radon exposure levels equals 18 times the chance of a being diagnosed with cancer, according to one Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance member who referred to a “death map” that identified the number of people who have died while living near the Homestake Mining Company tailings pile north of Milan. She pointed out that some of the proposed legislation includes moving the Homestake tailings pile to a different location, which would reduce the health threat for area residents.

House Memorial 70 included, “ . . . in recognition of the contributions of uranium workers and of the ongoing health and environmental impacts as a result of historical uranium industrial operations in New Mexico, [that] Feb. 20, 2015, be designated ‘Uranium Workers’ Day’ and a copy of this memorial be transmitted to New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation and the Governors of Laguna and Acoma Pueblos, the President of the Navajo Nation, and county Commissions in Cibola, Sandoval and McKinley Counties.”

“The Pueblo felt so strongly about the issues surrounding uranium mining that it issued its own Resolution in 2008 declaring a moratorium on any further uranium mining activities on Pueblo lands from that day forward,” emphasized Laguna Governor Siow.

“Why should we be talking about opening new mines when we have more than 500 abandoned mines?” questioned one Native American man. “New Mexico needs to go with renewable energy; it’s about time we start doing that.”

 Call 1-505-577-8438, or email susangordon@earthlink.net, for more information.