{"id":33778,"date":"2023-05-26T08:54:13","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T14:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/navajo-nation-officials-activists-feel-cut-out-as-company-advances-uranium-mining-plans\/"},"modified":"2023-05-26T14:54:13","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T14:54:13","slug":"navajo-nation-officials-activists-feel-cut-out-as-company-advances-uranium-mining-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/navajo-nation-officials-activists-feel-cut-out-as-company-advances-uranium-mining-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Navajo Nation officials, activists feel cut out as company advances uranium mining plans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"The
The view from Church Rock Chapter House overlooks a community concerned about future uranium mining and potential negative impacts to the area and the people who live there. (Hannah Grover\/NM Political Report)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

When a foreign company started exploratory drilling for the possible return of uranium mining near Church Rock, community members say they were not informed in advance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a complete shock,\u201d Jonathan Perry, the director of Eastern Navajo Din\u00e9 Against Uranium Mining, said of the process that started this winter.<\/p>\n

The eastern Navajo Nation communities have stood largely in opposition to future uranium mining for decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe majority of Din\u00e9 people have been personally impacted by (uranium),\u201d Leona Morgan, an activist and member of Navajo Nation, said.<\/p>\n

The Navajo Nation has a moratorium dating back nearly two decades that prohibits uranium extraction, but the Eastern Agency consists of what is known as checkerboard. That means federal and state lands are intermixed with Navajo, or Din\u00e9, lands and allotment lands.<\/p>\n

Laramide Resources, a Canada-based company, plans on extracting uranium from an area within the checkerboard that is not tribal land.<\/p>\n

The work would occur near the same location where, in 1979, a dam breach released 1,100 tons of uranium waste and 94 million gallons of radioactive water into the Rio Puerco, which the nearby Navajo communities relied upon for water.<\/p>\n

Decades later, the spill, along with mine and mill sites in the area, remain unremediated. Earlier this year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a record of decision as well as a license amendment that will allow the United Nuclear Corp. \u2013 which owned the site where the spill occurred \u2013 to dispose of mine waste from the old uranium mine at the old mill site.<\/p>\n

Morgan said there are concerns that this disposal method in an unlined pit could lead to a second spill happening, especially as climate change increases the risks of extreme weather events like monsoon floods.<\/p>\n

Related: Take uranium contamination off our land, Navajos urge federal nuclear officials<\/a><\/p>\n

The history of uranium contamination serves as a backdrop as Laramide seeks to begin extraction and the Nation feels as if it has been excluded from the process in part because of the checkerboard of land and mineral jurisdiction.<\/p>\n

In response to questions from NM Political Report, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren highlighted the moratorium imposed by the Nation in 2005 on uranium mining and processing. Uranium mining on the Nation ended in 1986, though about a quarter of the recoverable uranium reserves in the country are located on Navajo Nation lands.<\/p>\n

Nygren said the Navajo Nation is highly concerned about new and planned activities for mining, excavating and drilling to get uranium resources out of the ground and to process it from the raw state to a more refined stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d like to avoid those activities from happening in our home area again until we get a significant handle on all of the contamination,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nygren said there are 524 sites where the Nation is still trying to address past uranium contamination.<\/p>\n

The sole remaining uranium mill in the United States is just north of Navajo Nation\u2019s lands in Utah and neighbors a Ute Mountain Ute community.<\/p>\n

The Navajo Nation is also fighting a proposal to mine uranium near the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, which includes the Navajo Nation, has called for President Joe Biden to use the Antiquities Act to establish a national monument that would block the proposed uranium mine near the Grand Canyon.<\/p>\n

History of the project<\/div>\n

Laramide Resources acquired the Crownpoint\/Church Rock Uranium Project from Hydro Resources Inc. in 2015. HRI was already seeking a license renewal from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. That license renewal was granted to Laramide in February 2017.<\/p>\n

Related: Navajo group alleges U.S. violated human rights in uranium mine licensing<\/a><\/p>\n

This winter, Laramide engaged in a drilling operation to determine the feasibility moving forward.<\/p>\n

In a March update, Laramide stated that the recent drilling confirmed that \u201chistorical drilling results are suitable for resource estimations and agreed with previous studies showing that there is low risk of resource depletion of chemical uranium compared to radiometric uranium in the Church Rock mineralization.\u201d<\/p>\n

The update further stated that the drilling will also provide \u201ccore for the test work necessary to obtain the New Mexico Aquifer Discharge Permit, the final material permit needed for the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laramide has not yet applied for the discharge permit.<\/p>\n

According to information NMED provided NM Political Report, the agency will perform an administrative and technical review of the application upon receiving it and will determine if the information the company provides is sufficient.<\/p>\n

\u201cNMED will then assess the technical feasibility of the activities proposed by the applicant and determine if the applicant has provided enough information to determine if the activities proposed in the application will be protective of human health and the environment,\u201d Matthew Maez, the agency spokesperson, told NM Political Report.<\/p>\n

Once a draft permit has been developed, it will be sent out for the public to review. People will then be able to issue comments on the draft permit or request a hearing.<\/p>\n

Maez said NMED will work with tribal governments during the permitting process.<\/p>\n

Maez said that any mining company wanting to begin or resume uranium extraction on lands that are subject to the state\u2019s regulations must receive the groundwater discharge permit and must provide financial assurances before commencing the operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the extent resources allow, NMED will assure compliance with permits and state rules to protect groundwater and surface water,\u201d Maez said.<\/p>\n

He said that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has jurisdiction over uranium milling sites.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s Navajo Indian Country\u2019<\/div>\n

Should an incident occur resulting in contamination of land, air or water, the people who will be impacted are the Din\u00e9 residents of the Eastern Agency. And it\u2019s not just one community.<\/p>\n

The production would occur north of Church Rock in an area that is already highly contaminated from past uranium mining, including the worst uranium spill in the country\u2019s history. The extracted ore would then be transported nearly 50 miles to an area south of Crownpoint where Laramide would process the ore. This would impact communities like Smith Lake, which is at the junction of New Mexico Highway 371 and Navajo Service Route 49.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of the land status, it\u2019s Navajo Indian Country,\u201d Perry said.<\/p>\n

The Eastern Agency is not the only ones concerned about this.<\/p>\n

Nygren said Laramide hasn\u2019t provided assurances it would work with the Navajo Nation, instead choosing to work more with the state and the federal regulatory agencies.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Laramide wasn\u2019t] willing to come forward and work with us directly,\u201d Nygren said. \u201cTo identify themselves and to state what activities they were going to undertake. Even though the land is not Navajo Nation land, it\u2019s right up against our Navajo Nation lands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nygren said Laramide is aware of the Nation\u2019s concerns and the history of the contamination because the Navajo Nation worked to educate its predecessor, HRI, on those topics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way [Laramide] has decided to approach this project from their interests alone, without recognizing the Navajo Nation\u2019s stance and positions, it\u2019s more concerning than reassuring,\u201d Nygren said.<\/p>\n

Laramide did not respond to email and phone requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Environment and cultural concerns<\/div>\n

Nygren said the Nation\u2019s primary concern is human health and safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have identified people that are living close to these abandoned uranium mine sites,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Those people, Nygren said, need to be the top concern and their homes need to be made safer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they have any health conditions as a result of exposure in the past, they need to be provided with adequate health care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In the late 2000s, researchers launched a birth cohort study focused on Navajo women. This study\u2019s mission is to identify possible past uranium exposure that could create health issues for children. It has been going on for at least 12 years, Nygren said. \u201cSo public health and ongoing efforts to understand health impacts are one of the highest concerns,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Related: \u2018This has got to stop\u2019: Indigenous activists decry lingering contamination decades after the last uranium mines closed<\/a><\/p>\n

But the Navajo Nation has other concerns as well, including the transportation of contaminants from abandoned uranium mines.<\/p>\n

He said contaminants can reach the surface and get in soils at significant concentrations where they can register on detection devices. Much of the past mining was done underground and Nygren said that could put water resources at risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cGroundwater is always a very important resource,\u201d Nygren said.<\/p>\n

The lack of water access on the Navajo Nation received national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic and chapter houses, including the Church Rock Chapter House, set up hand washing stations outside their buildings to assist community members who didn\u2019t necessarily have access to water.<\/p>\n

There are also cultural concerns regarding uranium mining, including the impact on soil and plants.<\/p>\n

Nygren highlighted the animals that rely on the landscape and rely on environments around abandoned uranium mines. He said this could have impacts on both wildlife and domesticated animals like horses, sheep and cattle. As they graze for food, they could consume plants that have taken in radioactive materials from water.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of our people still have a subsistence way of life and will take one of their animals from their herds and eat them,\u201d Nygren said. \u201cSo through these pathways, there are potential risks and concerns for our people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plants that grow near uranium mines include some that historically have been used for prayers and ceremonies, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOften the prayers and ceremonies are addressing the mental stresses of living near abandoned uranium mine contamination in addition to any specific health conditions,\u201d Nygren said. \u201cTherefore it is critical that herbal medicines are also free from contaminants.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleaning up contamination is not an easy process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like you can throw the dirt in a washer and it comes out clean,\u201d Morgan said.<\/p>\n

Economic opportunities weighed against past contamination<\/div>\n

In January, Laramide contracted with Denver-based SLR International Corporation to conduct a preliminary economic assessment based in part on data gathered during this winter\u2019s exploratory drilling.<\/p>\n

When the company announced that contract, Laramide\u2019s president and CEO Marc Henderson released a statement saying that the project \u201chas the potential to become a meaningful contributor to future U.S. domestic security of supply.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an issue of increasing importance in U.S. energy policy considerations and one which appears to have bipartisan domestic support as witnessed by the recent passage of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) in which nuclear power featured quite prominently,\u201d Henderson said in the statement.<\/p>\n

For the local community, mining could mean new jobs.<\/p>\n

Not everyone opposes bringing uranium extraction back. Morgan said there are allottees who may support uranium extraction due to the limited economic opportunities in the region.<\/p>\n

One of the reasons why discussions on the checkerboard can be so intense, Morgan said, is because the allottees own the \u201cinterest and say so\u201d in the land that has been allotted to them. This is also present in debates over the future of oil and gas extraction to the northeast of the Crownpoint and Church Rock in the Chaco area.<\/p>\n

Some of the allottees may turn toward extractive industries as a way to profit off their land.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome individuals think they can get rich overnight like the uranium boom in the 50s,\u201d Morgan said.<\/p>\n

But, she said, that boom did not create generational wealth.<\/p>\n

Nygren said that any discussion of the economic benefits of uranium mining is premature considering the decadal problem of legacy pollution and unremediated sites.<\/p>\n

Related: Uranium remediation could create jobs for impacted communities<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOur focus has been on addressing the past impacts of uranium mining from the 20th century. And that focus is on remediation, cleanup, and restoring health to our impacted people and to the communities that are impacted by these mine sites,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nygren said the work to address uranium contamination goes back to when the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency was created in the late 1970s.<\/p>\n

Despite decades of work, Nygren said \u201cwe still haven\u2019t got a true or accurate estimation of what all these impacts have been.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those impacts include costs to clean up contaminated sites and to address the impacts of uranium mining on the health of people living on the Navajo Nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo to take a look at potential economic benefits is still premature,\u201d he said \u201cMost of the discussion within the Navajo Nation government and coming to the position to place a moratorium on mining, new mining, and new processing has always been, \u2018Let\u2019s get a better handle on the past before we start looking at any kind of potential benefits for renewed uranium mining and processing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Nygren said without any realistic cost estimates about the past impacts of uranium on Navajo Nation, there isn\u2019t a framework to say what the potential economic benefits could be going forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat if somebody says, \u2018Well, you can make $5 billion over 20 years if you do get involved in new uranium mining.\u2019 Would that cover the total cost of fixing what was contaminated in the past?\u201d Nygren said. \u201cAlso would these potential economic benefits also adequately address the costs to assure a safer future?\u201d<\/p>\n

He said even if the price of uranium skyrocketed, he doesn\u2019t think it would be compelling enough to allow future extraction \u201cuntil we know that these past contaminated areas are adequately restored.\u201d<\/p>\n

Energy transition fuels drive for uranium<\/div>\n

Perry said that those who oppose the resumed uranium mining are fighting against a misconception amid the energy transition.<\/p>\n

He said projects like Laramide\u2019s are \u201cfueled by the misconception that nuclear energy is green energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

But uranium mining and milling can have dire health impacts on the communities where those activities occur.<\/p>\n

Morgan said activists continue to fight for an expansion of the RECA benefits to include uranium miners who were employed after 1977 and developed health conditions associated with exposure to radioactivity.<\/p>\n

Perry said there are 86 unremediated uranium mines in the Eastern Agency region where Laramide hopes to resume mining operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn reality, the communities continue to suffer because of that misconception,\u201d Perry said.<\/p>\n

The role that New Mexico, and Navajo Nation, plays in the energy transition and uranium mining is set against a backdrop of legacy contamination both from nuclear and fossil fuels.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of our uranium, it doesn\u2019t matter whether it\u2019s nuclear weapons or nuclear energy, we will always be hurt by the nuclear industry,\u201d Morgan said.<\/p>\n

Both the tribe and the state are concerned that future extraction could continue the legacy of radioactive pollution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile nuclear energy produces low-carbon energy, Congress must develop long-term solutions for the disposal of nuclear waste that follow a consent-based model,\u201d Maez said. \u201cFurther, until the United States and associated mining companies address the legacy issues that continue to impact New Mexicans and tribal members, the nuclear industry has virtually no social license to operate.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an email, Maddy Hayden, a spokesperson for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, highlighted that three of New Mexico\u2019s 15 Superfund sites were created by uranium mining. Given that fact, she said the governor\u2019s office is concerned about any proposed mining operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cRural and tribal communities have in the past been taken advantage of by uranium mining companies, which resulted in little to no effort to protect the environment during and after operations,\u201d she said. \u201cThat is not acceptable. It\u2019s imperative that mining operations are not only held to a high regulatory standard, but also a high standard for cooperation with affected communities, including tribal nations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayden said uranium is needed for a variety of purposes beyond just weapons and energy. For example, she highlighted medical imaging. She said uranium is needed just like other metals such as lithium and copper are needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we shouldn\u2019t be causing pollution while we mine them,\u201d she said. \u201cWhile nuclear energy has potential as a low-carbon energy solution, until Congress identifies a permanent disposal method for waste, it\u2019s a non-starter as far as we\u2019re concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

NM Political Report <\/a>is a nonprofit public news outlet providing in-depth and enterprise reporting on the people and politics across New Mexico.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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