Uranium Mines Still Pose Serious Health Threat on Navajo Land, Web Wire 12 April 12,  In 2010, a Navajo cattle rancher named Larry Gordy discovered an abandoned uranium mine in the middle of his grazing land in Cameron, AZ, according to the New York Times. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) visited the site and found dangerously high levels of uranium, but the agency has yet to begin the clean-up.

The EPA found that the radioactivity there measured one million counts per minute, meaning that two days there would expose a person to more external radiation than the Nuclear Regulatory Commission considers safe for an entire year. A dose would lead directly to malignant tumors and other health problems.

Despite the site’s seclusion, evidence of the human presence there is
clear: crushed beer cans and shell casings litter the ground. Cattle
droppings also dot the area near the mine, meaning that people eating
those livestock are being subjected to radiation through their food as
well.

Since first seeing the Cameron site in 2010, EPA has still not placed
warning signs around the area.

The mine in Cameron is one of hundreds of such sites identified across
27,000 square miles of Navajo territory in Arizona, Utah, and New
Mexico, according to the New York Times. Authorities say the slow
clean-up process is hindered by the cost—hundreds of millions of
dollars—and bureaucratic disagreements.

Until the sites are cleaned, however, Navajos will continue to be
exposed to uranium and its decay products, radon and radium. This
means that they are at great risk for bone, liver, breast, and lung
cancer, among other health problems….
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=155319

Mr Buzzacott, who is known as Uncle Kevin, is being represented by the Adelaide-based Environmental Defenders Office. The office claims the mine expansion has been approved unlawfully under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act by federal Environment Minister Tony Burke.

Among the claims are that much of the environmental assessment and decision-making was based on plans and studies that have not yet been prepared and that the minister did not properly consider impacts from the above-ground storage of radioactive tailings waste, the export of uranium and on groundwater resources, including the Great Artesian Basin.

Mr Buzzacott, an elder from Arabunna land in South Australia’s remote north, is known for his anti-uranium campaigning, and in 2007 was awarded an Australian Conservation Foundation award recognising his protest work. The EDO filed an application on his behalf in the Federal Court yesterday, saying his “tiny voice” was prepared to take on the giant……
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/tiny-voice-of-elder-takes-on-olympic-dam/story-e6frgczx-1226277611443

Traditional owner Jeffrey Lee has been made a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his conservation work in Kakadu National Park.

Mr Lee, who now works as a ranger in the park, offered his uranium-rich country to be included in Kakadu for free, and fought for it to be recognised as a World Heritage Area within the park.

He says he did not expect to receive an award for protecting the country he loves, and he appreciates the support he has been given along the way.

“I love the park,” he said.

“It is good that I get out and look on my country.”….. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-26/20120126-territory-orders-of-australia/3794570?section=nt

“The traditional owners”.. are not even named in this news release.

The traditional owner group, known as the Yura Language Consultative Group, is disappointed the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has failed to investigate its requests for a ministerial determination over the Beverley Four Mile and Mt Gee area as being culturally significant and intimately connected, despite a legal obligation to do so under the SA Aboriginal Heritage Act.

Marsh: Cultural significance snubbed, The Advertiser, by:Jillian Marsh  December 14, 2011 http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/marsh-cultural-significance-snubbed/story-e6freai3-1226221235838 THE news release entitled “Arkaroola to be protected forever” by the SA Government’s pledging a commitment of “unprecedented protection” is welcome news. This protection, on the basis of a comprehensive three-step process, is particularly welcome for traditional owners – members of the Adnyamathanha community.

At risk are the Grand Canyon’s watersheds. These interconnected surface and groundwater systems extend many miles beyond the park’s boundary.

Uranium-mining ban was a grand decision, The Arizona Republic,  by Roger Clark – Jan. 22, 2012   Arizonans and all Americans won a major victory on Jan. 9 when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed a “record of decision” for a 20-year ban on new uranium claims on 1.1 million acres of public land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

The decision reduces the risk of permanent harm to wildlife, water, our economy and sites sacred to Havasupai and all native people in ourregion. It also best serves our nation’s interests.

As Salazar noted, “Time and again, we as a nation have shown that our
strength comes not just from the power of our industry and technology
but also from the wisdom of restraint.”
It was in this spirit that the Obama administration acted decisively,
as so many leaders have done before, in choosing to protect enduring
values instead of succumbing to the temptation of short-lived economic
interests.

The Grand Canyon has been northern Arizona’s economic engine for
nearly a century. It sustainably provides $700 million a year in jobs
and revenue. We can survive boom-and-bust cycles, but the last uranium
rush left a deadly legacy of poisoned land and water that will keep
employing cleanup crews for generations.

Somehow industry promises to “do it different this time” sound like a
serial embezzler’s cry for one more crack at running the cash
register.

That is why the 20-year ban is supported by an unprecedented coalition
of tribal leaders; hunting, fishing, ranching and conservation groups;
municipal water suppliers; wildlife advocates; and nearly 300,000
individuals who commented favorably on the proposed moratorium.
Chambers of commerce, community leaders and elected officials are also
among those mainstream voices speaking out against a handful of
politicians now defending industrialists’ demand to exploit our
treasured landscape.

At risk are the Grand Canyon’s watersheds. These interconnected
surface and groundwater systems extend many miles beyond the park’s
boundary. Hikers can no longer drink from a permanently polluted
spring located beneath an abandoned uranium mine on the Canyon’s South
Rim.

New mines threaten hundreds of other springs and creeks, which offer
precious water to thousands of species. Moreover, every new mining
operation sacrifices cultural sites and fragments wildlife habitat by
enveloping the park in dirt roads, dust, heavy machinery, noise,
off-road drilling rigs, power lines and relentless truck traffic.
For all of these liabilities, two decades of mining would yield
handsome returns from high-grade uranium ore. But under an antiquated
national mining law, not one penny in royalties would be returned to
taxpayers.

As for jobs, the environmental-impact statement estimates that the
five counties in the area, including Coconino and Mohave, would see
the number of jobs increase by 0.4 percent while the mining lasts.
Mining would not produce any significant change in economic conditions
for residents or local and regional economies.

Virtually all uranium-mining corporations set to mine around the Grand
Canyon are foreign-owned. Mining profits would mostly accrue in
offshore accounts.

One wonders why proponents continue to lie about the amount of jobs
and revenue uranium mining around the Grand Canyon might produce.
Fortunately, well-informed leaders have prevailed.

Americans are cheering this landmark decision. And fellow citizens can
stand proud as we approach our Grand Canyon State’s centennial
celebration.

In closing, Salazar said, “Every generation of Americans faces moments
when we must choose between the pressures of the now and the
protection of the timeless. Today, we know that we can no longer
afford to turn our backs on … iconic landscapes like the Grand
Canyon. … I am therefore at peace with this decision, because it is
the right thing to do.” And so it is.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2012/01/22/20120122uranium-mining-ban-grand-decision.html#ixzz1kVSvz0xR

Though mineral mining occurs throughout the U.S. near water supplies, the study said, “Uranium mining and milling represent unique risks that require additional process controls to prevent impacts from toxic and radioactive byproducts.”…. ”uranium mining and milling activities initiated in the Potomac and/or Occoquan watersheds have the potential to increase the risk of negative impacts to Fairfax Water’s source water quality and water supply reliability.”

The Washington Post reported that the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering also found that “steep hurdles” would need to be crossed before the ban should be lifted.

“A study commissioned by the Danville Regional Foundation also came out this month,” the Post article read. “It concluded that uranium mining could have economic benefits but also environmental risks.” http://lakeridge.patch.com/articles/uranium-mining-could-leave-toxic-waste-in-occoquan-watershed

Women of the tribe have contracted cancer from cleaning the clothes of the men who worked in the mines,

Progress made toward cleaning up uranium mine, Canadian Business By AP  | November 06, 2011 SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The Spokane Tribe of Indians has recently won big victories in its long fight against uranium contamination, including a deal reached this fall between the federal government and mining companies to clean up the long-closed Midnite Mine on the reservation.

In addition, tribal members in September became eligible to receive federal compensation if they became sick while working at the mine.

“It is good news the mining company was finally forced to take responsibility for the mess they’ve left in poisoning our land and people,” said tribal member Deb Abrahamson, founder of the SHAWL Society, which for a decade advocated to clean the mine site and compensate workers who developed cancer and other illnesses.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a settlement with Newmont USA Limited and its subsidiary, Dawn Mining Co., to spend $193 million to clean up the 350-acre Superfund site where the uranium mine operated.

While Newmont will pay most of the costs, the U.S. Department of the Interior will contribute $42 million for failing to fulfill federal trust responsibilities to the Spokane Tribe through proper oversight of the open-pit mine…..

The Midnite Mine operated from 1954 to 1981, providing a key ingredient for nuclear weapons at the height of the Cold War. Up to 500 people worked at a time at the mine, blasting nearly 3 million tons of uranium ore out of the hillsides.

Among the cleanup actions over the next decade will be draining water from two open pits, which are up to 500 feet deep. Also, 33 million tons of radioactive waste rock scattered around the mine site will be moved into the pits, which will then be covered to keep surface water out. Ongoing maintenance will include removal of water that enters the pits…..

Meanwhile, a recently completed epidemiology study of the 2,700-member tribe conducted by the state Department of Health and the Northwest Indian Health Board concluded there were high rates of cancer among tribal members who worked at the mine. That qualified them for federal compensation of between $50,000 and $100,000 per person, Abrahamson said.

It’s not clear how many tribal members will ultimately get compensation, as many miners have died and some are declining to file for payments, she said…..

The majority of the workers at the mine were Spokanes or members of other nearby tribes, Abrahamson said.

Women of the tribe have contracted cancer from cleaning the clothes of the men who worked in the mines, Abrahamson said.

Many members of Abrahamson’s own family became sick.

“It has really varied on how radiation impacted people,” she said. “Some died right after they worked out there in the 1970s. Others have gone 20 to 30 years and then cancer emerges.”

Former miners have also suffered from renal failure, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, she said.

“I’m really hoping that former workers can benefit and that justice, or at least a piece of justice, can happen for them,” Abrahamson said.

Another issue is that the federal government compensates workers who labored at uranium mines only through 1971, when it stopped buying uranium for nuclear weapons, she said. The Midnite Mine operated until 1981, selling uranium to commercial nuclear power plant customers. Abrahamson wants to get compensation for people who worked there between 1971 and 1981.

It’s been known for some time that the mine site posed serious health risks….

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/55685–progress-made-toward-cleaning-up-uranium-mine

EPA announces deal for uranium contamination probe, Canadian Business,  August 01, 2011 FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing an effort to determine the extent of contamination at a former uranium mining site on the Navajo Nation that marked a high priority for assessment.

The EPA announced Monday that it has reached a deal with Chevron USA Inc. to survey the 31-acre Mariano Lake Mine site near Gallup, N.M., and surrounding homes and water wells. Chevron is to report its findings from radiological survey and soil samples to the EPA early next year and is on the hook for EPA’s oversight costs.

The Mariano Lake Mine is one of a handful of sites that the EPA and its Navajo Nation counterpart have targeted for investigation or cleanup so far. They’ve been assessing hundreds of abandoned uranium mines to address what has become a legacy of death and disease across the reservation.

In 2005, the Navajo Nation banned uranium mining on the 27,000 square-mile reservation that stretches into parts of New Mexico, Utah and Arizona. Nearly four million tons of uranium ore were mined from the reservation over more than four decades.

The tribe and the EPA began aggressively targeting the abandoned mines within the last decade. That includes the development of a five-year, multi-agency plan to address contamination that now is in its fourth year…..

The Navajo Nation has been pushing for mining waste — tailings or rocks that weren’t rich enough in uranium — to be removed from the reservation. Navajo President Ben Shelly commended the EPA and Chevron for coming to an agreement he said will protect the communities in and around Mariano Lake.

“I look forward to the data that will be generated in this investigation, and I respectfully request U.S. EPA to understand our desires for the most protective clean-up plans that will help restore harmony in our communities and homes,” Shelly said in a statement.

The Skyline Mine near Monument Valley, Utah, is the first mine that EPA itself is cleaning up at a cost of $8 million…..http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/37331–epa-announces-deal-for-uranium-contamination-probe