Library
Research, reports, and advocacy from MASE communities
A Vancouver-based uranium company is seeking federal approval to conduct exploratory uranium drilling within the Carson National Forest in northern New Mexico, according to U.S. Forest Service officials. Gamma Resources Ltd. issued a notice of intent late last month to the Carson National Forest, proposing to drill up to 12 exploratory boreholes up to 500 […]
New proposal is extraction not remediation, warns the Navajo group, Dooda Disa More than 500 abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) contaminate the Navajo Nation, and genuine cleanup is urgently needed. But cleanup must be grounded in strict environmental oversight, transparency, and full community consultation. A proposal now being advanced by Navajo Nation EPA (NNEPA) Executive Director […]
At least 350 abandoned uranium mine and mill sites still dot the New Mexico landscape, vestiges of a Cold War-era boom that spurred companies or individuals to dig for ore, predominately along a mineral-rich deposit near Grants. Often, state officials say, those responsible left without a trace, apart from the environment-polluting and cancer-causing legacy left […]
By Navajo Times | Feb 19, 2026 | BY TOMMY ROCK, PH.D. EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Tommy Rock is from Oljato-Monument Valley, Utah. He is an assistant research professor at Northern Arizona University in the School of Earth Science and Sustainability and the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society. Rock has spent his career documenting the […]
By Navajo Times | Sep 19, 2024 | News | By Donovan Quintero Special to the Times https://navajotimes.com/reznews/elder-red-water-pond-water-family-members-say-no-to-uranium-mining/ Bertha Nez, 78, from Red Water Pond Road, north of Church Rock, N.M., speaks on Friday about her home and how uranium mining impacted her entire life. Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero WINDOW ROCK — Bertha […]
Gabrielle Wallace /Cronkite News Sept. 25, 2024 WASHINGTON – People exposed to radiation from atomic bomb tests and uranium mines rallied Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol – along with tribal leaders – to demand action on a stalled compensation program. “They gave the ultimate sacrifice when it was needed. We should reward the people who […]
EPA Signs Action Memo to Move Uranium Mine Waste from Churchrock to Red Rock Landfill For Immediate Release: January 7, 2025 Contacts: Teracita Keyanna – Red Water Pond Road Community Association terrykeyanna@yahoo.com 505-979-0552 Susan Gordon – Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org 505-577-8438 Chris Shuey – Southwest Research and Information Center sric.chris@gmail.com 505-350-0833 MASE […]
December 15, 2024 – New Mexico – The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE), a coalition dedicated to advancing environmental justice in uranium-impacted communities, has announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the position of Environmental Justice Coordinator. This role represents a unique opportunity to collaborate with MASE member groups, and local communities, to […]
By Navajo Times | Sep 19, 2024 | News | By Donovan Quintero Special to the Times https://navajotimes.com/reznews/elder-red-water-pond-water-family-members-say-no-to-uranium-mining/ Bertha Nez, 78, from Red Water Pond Road, north of Church Rock, N.M., speaks on Friday about her home and how uranium mining impacted her entire life. Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero WINDOW ROCK — Bertha […]
protectwhitemesa.org MEDIA ADVISORY – September 17, 2024 Contacts: Yolanda Badback, White Mesa Concerned Community, (435) 459-2461, ybadback427@gmail.com Bradley Angel, Greenaction for Health & Environmental Justice, (415) 722-5270, bradley@greenaction.org Photos (free for media use): https://photos.app.goo.gl/cBmdPEtaoQ6synZPA White Mesa Ute Spiritual Walk Protests Uranium Mill Where Grand Canyon Uranium Ore and International Radioactive Waste Sent for Processing What: […]
Gabrielle Wallace /Cronkite News Sept. 25, 2024 WASHINGTON – People exposed to radiation from atomic bomb tests and uranium mines rallied Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol – along with tribal leaders – to demand action on a stalled compensation program. “They gave the ultimate sacrifice when it was needed. We should reward the people who […]
Navajo Nation member Carol Etcitty-Roger speaks about cancer in her eye from radiation exposure during a news conference about the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act on Tuesday. Jose Luis Magana/For The Associated Press By Alaina Mencinger amencinger@sfnewmexican.com Sep 24, 2024 https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/advocates-on-long-road-to-reinstate-federal-radiation-exposure-act/article_da3a9cf0-79fc-11ef-918d-3f8d04b197a8.html?utm_source=santafenewmexican.com&utm_campaign=/newsletters/your-morning-headlines/?123&-dc=1727262027&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read more There were more than five hours to go before the group reached Washington, D.C. […]
By Eric Jantz / Albuquerque resident and Teracita Keyanna / Gallup resident | Mar 24, 2024 Updated Mar 26, 2024 https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/opinion-federal-government-must-halt-new-uranium-mining-and-clean-up-the-500-plus-abandoned/article_2b45881e-e7de-11ee-a318-977be50fae4d.html They look like small mesas — indistinguishable, really, from the buttes and juniper-dotted hills that are common features on New Mexico’s landscape. Rather than being part of a landscape that reflects the ebb and […]
Historic Hearing to be Held in Washington, D.C. Weds, Feb. 28th at 11am EST/9am MST What: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ Thematic Hearing Where: IACHR/OAS, 1889 F St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006 When: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 11am EST/9am MST Who: Members of the Navajo Nation, Ute Nation and Oglala Lakota Nation will testify Why: Impacts of Uranium Exploitation […]
Map provides the public with single source of information on complex issue
By Cathy Cook / Journal Staff Writer, The Alburquerque Journal | Dec 20, 2023 The National Defense Authorization Act passed both the House and the Senate last week and has been sent to President Joe Biden’s desk. The annual bill will authorize defense spending, including billions for national labs and millions for military institutions in […]
By Jody Wilson, Gallup Independent | 12/6/23 Diné Bureau GALLUP — On Saturday, Maggie Billiman and several members of her family gathered at Camille’s in Gallup to make 30-second videos in support of extending and expanding the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Billiman sent videos to news sources in Washington D.C. in hopes that members of Congress […]
To the Second Meeting of States Parties to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 2023
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: GRAND CANYON TRUST | URANIUM BLOG on October 17 2023 by Tim Peterson, Cultural Landscapes Director The day before the second anniversary of Bears Ears National Monument’s restoration and two days before Indigenous Peoples’ Day, on a warm and clear Saturday, tribal members from many Indigenous communities and their allies and supporters gathered for the annual White Mesa […]
ORIGINAL ARTICLE ($) | PHYS.ORG
BY: MARK PATTISON When she was assigned to New Mexico 26 years ago after spending 33 years ministering in Asia, Maryknoll Sr. Rose Marie Cecchini never expected to spend so much of her ministry — and for such a lengthy period — helping the state’s tribal peoples deal with the literal fallout of uranium mining. […]
Commissioners See First-Hand Impacts from Uranium Mining & Milling to Pueblo and Diné Communities VIEW/DOWNLOAD FULL PRESS RELEASE [PDF]
Homestake/Barrick Gold Request for “Alternate Concentration Limits” at Grants Reclamation Project Not Accepted by NRC Media Contacts: Eric Jantz, Senior Staff Attorney, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, ejantz@nmelc.org, (505) 980-5239 Susan Gordon, Coordinator, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE), sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org, (505) 577-8438 Albuquerque, NM —The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) recently took the unusual step of […]
Red Water Pond Road CommunityContact Info: Edith Hood (505) 905-0694 or Teny Keyanna (505) 979-0552Pipeline Road Community Contact lnfo: Linda Jim (505) 519-8733
https://www.insider.com/photos-church-rock-the-largest-radioactive-disaster-us-history-2023-6 James Pasley Jun 6, 2023, 11:55 AM PDT In 1979, a dam holding millions of gallons of nuclear waste in Church Rock, New Mexico, collapsed. In a matter of hours, 94 million gallons of radioactive water and 1,100 tons of uranium waste flooded into a nearby river. The spill killed crops and cattle, and […]
https://www.the-journal.com/articles/navajo-nation-officials-activists-feel-cut-out-as-company-advances-uranium-mining-plans/ Disposal methods cause concern about future spills, contamination By Hannah Grover, NM Political Report Friday, May 26, 2023 8:54 AM Updated Friday, May. 26, 2023 8:54 AM 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. […]
By Hannah Grover Entrance to the Gold King Mine. Photo via Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, is leading efforts to modernize mining laws as the transition away from fossil fuels increases demand for certain metals and minerals. Heinrich introduced the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act on Friday in the Senate […]
The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act represents an unprecedented, de facto giveaway of America’s cherished public lands to mining corporations, upending and reversing over one hundred years of public land law precedent. Under the bill, anyone—for a nominal fee—gains permanent rights to occupy land, construct massive waste dumps, and build roads and pipelines across public lands […]
Amid a withering drought, New Mexico leaders struggle to plan for life with less water By Elizabeth Miller and New Mexico In Depth April 26, 2023 at 12:00 am MDT This story was produced by New Mexico In Depth. Though the Rio Grande runs through the heart of New Mexico’s biggest city, you can easily miss it. Even […]
Arlyssa D. Becenti, Arizona Republic March 18, 2023 https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/03/18/cameron-residents-await-federal-cleanup-of-abandoned-uranium-sites/70016230007/ CAMERON — Beverly Ann Huskon and her cousins, Bob Robbins and Natalie Huskie, sat in the bleachers at Dzil Libei Elementary School in Cameron to hear U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Navajo Nation EPA officials discuss the options the community has to deal with waste from […]
To view a copy of the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005, click here: Navajo Ban A Legacy of Destruction and No Accountability The nuclear industry has left a devastating legacy of pollution, illness and death. Uranium mining began in earnest on Navajo land during the Grants Uranium Boom from the 1950s – 1980s. […]
Arlyssa D. Becenti, Arizona Republic | Feb 23, 2023 azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2023/02/23/plan-allows-uranium-waste-disposal-near-navajo-community The Red Water Pond Road Community Association wasn’t surprised when the Nuclear Regulatory Commission decided to issue a license amendment allowing the United Nuclear Corporation to move toxic waste from the Northeast Church Rock mine to the company’s uranium mill site near Gallup. Teracita Keyanna, […]
Dear Chairman Westerman, Ranking Member Grijalva, and Members of the Natural ResourcesCommittee: As your committee considers changes to the energy and mine permitting processes, on behalf of the undersigned, we write to ask you to prioritize efforts that would balance public health, community input, and the protection of watersheds, wildlife habitat and cultural and historic […]
TO: President Joseph R. Biden CC: Secretary of State, Antony Blinken Special Presidential Envoy for Compact Negotiations Joseph Yun Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the United States, Gerald Zackios We are writing to respectfully urge the White House and the Department of State to prioritize issues of […]
by Mark Oldade and Maya Miller, video by Mauricio Rpdriguez Pons and Ed Ou, photography by Ed Out Published August 8, 2022 A Uranium Ghost Town in the Making Time and again, mining company Homestake and government agencies promised to clean up waste from decades of uranium processing. It didn’t happen. Now they’re trying a […]
Cleanup of Navajo uranium contamination ‘daunting’ By Kathy Helms, Special correspondent, khelms@gallupindependent.com April 29, 2022
Noel Lyn Smith Farmington Daily Times FARMINGTON — A decision that was expected this month about whether to remove uranium mine waste from an area near a Church Rock community or store it onsite near the community has been delayed for now by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Area residents have called on federal agencies […]
For Immediate Release September 22, 2021 Contact: Susan Gordon, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment www.swuraniumimpacts.org 505.577.8438, sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org Linda Evers, Post 71 Uranium Workers Committee 505.287.2304, leversredfence123@gmail.com Larry King, Eastern Navajo Against Uranium Mining 505.979.411, l_king2013@yahoo.com New legislation offers hope – and urgency – for uranium mining survivors September 22, 2021: Today, Sen. Crapo […]
The ghosts of the uranium boom continue to haunt the land, water and people.
By Kirena Tsosie (keyclah@gmail.com) and Chris Shuey (sric.chris@gmail.com) Southwest Research and Information Center July 15, 2021 Every year at this time, the Red Water Pond Road Community Association (RWPRCA) of the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico gathers to remember the impacts of the largest release of radioactive waste, by volume, in U.S. history. An […]
By Linda Evers on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 Cibola Citizen In just a year from July 11 the compensation program created under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) will come to an end. We need our elected representatives in Congress to extend and expand that program to help all of those in our state who […]
July 10, 2021 By Kathy Helms Special correspondent khelms@gallupindependent.com CHURCHROCK – Larry King, president of Churchrock Chapter and a former uranium worker, doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in the melting Arctic of receiving federal benefits afforded sick Navajos who worked in the uranium industry before 1971. King isn’t the only one. Linda Evers of Milan, […]
New Mexico – so-called “interim” storage site for highly radioactive nuclear waste given go-ahead by Nuclear Regulatory Commission – and the fight against it continues.Kevin Kamps is the radioactive waste watchdog for Beyond Nuclear, where he specializes in high-level waste management and transportation; new and existing reactors; decommissioning; Congress watch; climate change; and federal subsidies. […]
NNSA Los Alamos Field Office Comments: LANL SWEIS SA 3747 West Jemez RoadLos Alamos, NM 87544 By email to: lanlsweissa@nnsa.doe.gov, Subject line: LANL SWEIS SA, May 9, 2020 Dear LANL SWEIS SA Document Manager, We respectfully submit these comments for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) Draft Supplement Analysis of the 2008 Site-Wide Environmental Impact […]
2018 MASE Video Contest entry from Emily Ramirez
Uranium Mining Disaster – Church Rock Uranium Tailings Pond Breach – 40th Anniversary SPECIAL, Pt. 2
by Libbe HaLevy | Jul 30, 2019. Uranium mining marks the start of the nuclear fuel chain and the deadly journey that element takes to become atomic weapons, nuclear reactors, and tons of highly radioactive waste that we do not know how to store safely for tens of thousands of years. On July 13 and 14, Nuclear Hotseat attended commemorative events for the 1979 Church Rock […]
by Libbe HaLevy | Jul 17, 2019. Chris Shuey is Director of the Uranium Impact Assessment Program for Southwest Research and Information Service. He has worked with Navajo Nation communities on uranium mining issues for 38 years. Chris has helped document the persistent impact of the 1979 uranium tailings pond disaster, which dumped 94 million gallons of highly acidic radioactive waste into the Puerco River and […]
Peabody Energy Company – A History of Mistrust The Navajo Nation needs to secure what is already on the table from Navajo Generating Station owners and walk away and let NGS close. We would then take possession of the $168 million cash and $244 million in additional assets for total of more than $412 MILLION […]
March 30, 2018 Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council 1800 F St., NW Washington, DC 20405 FAST.FortyOne@fpisc.gov Janet.pfleeger@fpisc.gov Re: Comments on the proposal to add mining as a covered sector under FAST-41 Dear Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council members, On behalf of mining impacted communities across the West, we submit these comments to oppose adding mining […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2020 Contact Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney, NMELC, 505-989-9022 x120 Susan Gordon, Coordinator, MASE, 505-577-8438 Joe Zupan, Executive Director, Amigos Bravos, 575-758-3874 Santa Fe – In a stunning victory for Native communities, Rio Grande Resources (RGR), owner of the Mt Taylor uranium mine, notified the Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) of […]
June L. Lorenzo, Laguna Pueblo/Navajo (Diné), is an attorney and consultant. Her law practice has included serving as attorney for Native nations, US Senate and US House of Representative committees; the US Department of Justice (voting rights litigation), in land claims litigation, and in human rights advocacy for Indigenous Peoples before the United Nations and […]
By Kathy Helms cibola@gallupindependent.com Gallup Independent November 2, 2019 MILAN – The New Mexico Environment Department has asked the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to collaborate with the state to ensure adequate characterization of a plume of uranium contamination leaving the Bluewater Disposal Site. Although DOE maintains control over groundwater resources […]
Instead of paying to clean up the mess left by mining, companies are warehousing their operations indefinitely. Mark Olalde and Joe Yerardi Image credit: Mark Olalde/Center for Public Integrity Sept. 4, 2019 https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.20/mining-while-zombie-mines-idle-cleanup-and-workers-suffer-in-limbo?fbclid=IwAR04m17SbEpc_61Eh1llzlWyhZ3keUBfzjQrPNBJz_AJrMu9YiYjDSnWKWc This investigation was produced in collaboration with High Country News, The Center for Public Integrity and the Ohio Valley ReSource. The sound […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 18, 2019 Contact: Edith Hood, Red Water Pond Road Community Association 505.905.8051 home, 505.713-4085 cell Susan Gordon, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, coordinator 505.577.8438 sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org contact for photos or graphics Red Water Pond Road Community: 40 Years Since North East Church Rock Uranium Tailings Spill That Was Never Investigated Nor Cleaned […]
Published March 23, 2019 Albuquerque Journal North New Mexico is poised to become the Nuclear Waste Dump State for the United States. Nuclear waste from nuclear weapons and waste from commercial nuclear power reactors are all heading to our state if we don’t fight back. There are efforts by the Energy Department to magically […]
Gallup Independent Editorial – Dec 13, 2018 The uranium mining legacy of the region has had devastating effects on those who worked in uranium mines and those who live near the mines. Today, those who were exposed so long ago are seeing their children and grandchildren learn about how uranium affects humans. It is incredibly […]
By Dana Martinez December 10, 2018 Cibola County Bureau cibola2@gallupindependent.com GRANTS — The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment hosted a video contest Friday and tied it to the annual Uranium Film Festival. Residents were treated to be the first to see the films of local students. The main goal behind the event was to […]
By Dana Martinez December 8, 2018 Cibola County Bureau cibola2@gallupindependent.com GRANTS — Community members sat down for an afternoon of education on the area’s history of uranium mining at the Grants Public Library Friday. While that is not an uncommon occurrence for Cibola County, the day’s teachers were unique, elementary school students from St. Joseph […]
PRESS ADVISORY January 18, 2019 Contact: Susan Gordon, Coordinator, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment 505-577-8438 sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.or Former uranium workers and impacted community members will travel to the Round House to raise concerns about the continuing historic uranium mining faced by many New Mexicans * Uranium Workers’ Day at New Mexico Legislature is Friday, February 15, […]
By Marley Shebala, Dec 3, 2018 Diné Bureau navajo1@gallupindependent.com WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Japanese cattle farmers may live more than 5,680 miles from the Navajo Nation, but they are connected to the Diné people by their fierce love for their livestock. In the film, “Nuclear Cat tle,” a middle-age Japanese couple recall with a flood […]
Noel Lyn Smith, Farmington Daily Times Published Nov. 30, 2018 Traveling festival makes 3-day stop in Window Rock (Photo: Noel Lyn Smith/The Daily Times) WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The International Uranium Film Festival began its three-day run at the Navajo Nation Museum here on Thursday. The film festival was founded in 2010 in Rio de Janeiro with […]
Farmington Daily Times by Noel Lyn Smith, Nov. 26, 2018 FARMINGTON — Documentaries that share stories about uranium mining and its legacy on Native American communities will be shown when the International Uranium Film Festival returns this week to Window Rock, Arizona. The free film festival starts Thursday at the Navajo Nation Museum and will feature film screenings […]
Press Release August 31, 2018 BVDA CALLS FOR FREE WATER AND FUTURE HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR ENTIRE COMMUNITY Homestake-Barrick Gold has now hired a director of US Corporate Responsibility, Rebecca Darling, who met with a small group of community members and promised those present that the company planned to begin living up to its commitment […]
PRESS RELEASE AUGUST 29, 2018 SANTA FE – The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos filed a Notice of Appeal of the New Mexico Mining Commission’s July 27, 2018, decision affirming the Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) Director’s earlier approval of the return to mining activity at the Mt Taylor […]
RILED ABOUT RECA By Kathy Helms, August 24, 2018 Special correspondent cibola@gallupindependent.com GRANTS — More than 100 people poured into the former Cibola County Complex this past Saturday, hoping for word that Congress is ready to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Unfortunately, Congress is not to that point yet. But those who worked in […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 1, 2018 Contacts Susan Gordon – MASE Coordinator 505.577.8438 Rachel Conn – Projects Director, Amigos Bravos 575.758.3874 Eric Jantz – Staff Attorney, NMELC 505.989.9022 x120 Mining Commission Issues Final Order on Mt Taylor Mine Permit “Active” Mining Operations Do Not Need to Actively Mine SANTA […]
7 am at Red Water Pond Road Community on Navajo Nation, 12 miles from Church Rock, NM
By Kathy Helms May 18, 2018 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com GRANTS — At the time Gulf Mineral Resources Co. was looking to open the Mount Taylor Mine, most geologists knew that the Westwater occurrence would be mineralized with uranium east of the San Rafael Fault, but deemed it too deep, too wet, too hot to […]
By Kathy Helms May 16, 2018 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com GRANTS — Christine Lowery, of Paguate Village, was 4 years old when uranium mining began at Anaconda Mineral Company’s Jackpile-Paguate Mine. She has seen the effects it has had on community members. She doesn’t want San Mateo residents living next to Mount Taylor Mine to […]
By Kathy Helms May 11, 2018 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com SANTA FE — It will be several weeks before the New Mexico Mining Commission decides whether the state Mining and Minerals Division director erred in granting Rio Grande Resources’ request to reactivate the Mount Taylor Mine. While there are many factors to be weighed, economics […]
ZOMBIE MINE PLANS WOULD LEAVE IT HALF-DEAD WITH ZERO CLEANUP A Sacred Place is Threatened by Uranium Mining Mt Taylor Uranium Mine Public Hearing Monday, May 7 and Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 9 am PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEGINS AT 11:30 am Wendell Chino Building, 1220 South St Francis Drive, Santa Fe The Multicultural Alliance […]
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Contacts Susan Gordon, MASE Coordinator 505-577-8438 Rachel Conn, Amigos Bravos Projects Coordinator 575.770.8327 Eric Jantz, NMELC Staff Attorney 505.989.9022 x 120 Michael Jensen, NMELC Communications and Public Education 505.362.1063 Zombie Uranium Mine Begins to Stir Mining and Minerals Division Permit Violates State Mining Act SANTA FE, N.M.— The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and Amigos Bravos […]
New Mexico Environment Day Everything Is Connected. One Place. One Team. Advocating for the social, environmental, and economic health of New Mexico ENVIRONMENT DAY Feb. 1, 8:00am – 3:30pm Join MASE on Thursday, Feb 1st at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe Citizen lobbyists can make a real difference on issues ranging from promoting renewable energy […]
For immediate release – January 4, 2018 Mt. Taylor Mine “Return to Active” Permit Will Zombie Uranium Mine Continue to Avoid Cleanup? Contacts: Susan Gordon, coordinator, MASE, 505-577-8438, susangordon@earthlink.net Rachel Conn, Projects Director, Amigos Bravos, 575-770-8327, rconn@amigosbravos.org On December 29, 2017 the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) issued a Return to Active Permit for […]
Update on the Radiation Exposure and Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments Campaign There are more than 30 groups working to gain justice and compensation for all uranium miners and downwind communities harmed by the development of nuclear weapons and nuclear power. For more information click here: https://swuraniumimpacts.org/category/library/radiation-exposure-compensation-act/ The US Senate and House will shortly be considering […]
Dear Colleagues: Will you join with the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) as we start a campaign for justice and compensation for the uranium miners at the front end of the nuclear fuel chain? We are advocating to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to include ALL uranium workers and additional downwind […]
Radiation Exposure Compensation Act The Background Uranium mine and mill workers and downwind communities shouldered an unfair burden of pollution and exposure to radiation in order to produce the materials needed to fuel the U.S. nuclear weapons program. In response, Congress passed a law in 1990, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to provide compensation […]
Senator Charles Grassley is the chair of the Judiciary Committee. The RECA Amendments are assigned to his committee. We are urging him to hold a hearing. Download the postcard pdf. We encourage printing on bright orange or yellow card stock. The postcards are pre-addressed. Sign, add a stamp and send a message. Click here to […]
POST ’71 URANIUM WORKERS COMMITTEE 2 Community Meetings Saturday, August 26, 2017 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Pueblo of Acoma Tribal Gym 25 Pinsbarri Drive, Pueblo of Acoma and 3:00 pm – 5:00pm Living Hope Church Corner of Cordova & Lobo Canyon Rd, Grants Update on the RECA Amendments Washington Update Letter […]
Red Water Pond Road Community: 38 Years Since North East Church Rock Uranium Tailings Spill That Was Never Investigated Nor Cleaned Up Uranium Tailings Spill Commemoration, Saturday, July 15, 7 am to 3 pm, 12 miles North of Red Rock State Park on State Highway 566 near Churchrock, NM The Red Water Pond Road Community […]
For Immediate Release June 27, 2017 INTERMOUNTAIN WEST URANIUM SUMMIT Calls for participation in our First Cross-Border Anti-Nuclear Action July 15-16 “Evidence shows that uranium kills” ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Intermountain West Uranium Summit participants are inviting affinity groups everywhere to take part on July 15-16 in our first Cross-Border Anti-Nuclear Action (CBAN), commemorating the […]
Saturday, July 15th, 2017 7 am to 3 pm at the Red Water Pond Road Community 12 miles North of Red Rock State Park near Church Rock on Navajo Nation For information contact Jackie Jefferson 505-905-0022 & Annie Benally 505-905-1288 Click here to download the flyer.
For more than seven decades, nuclear weapons have posed an intolerable, ever-present danger to all peoples and the planet as a whole. Because we abhor these instruments of terror and mass destruction, we warmly welcome the United Nations negotiations for a treaty to ban them. We write to remind those drafting this important new treaty about the ongoing […]
30 CO-SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment www.swuraniumimpacts.org Susan Gordon, 505-577-8438 sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center www.abqpeaceandjustice.org Susan Schuurman, 505-268-2209 abqpeaceandjusticecenter@gmail.com Albuquerque, NM Beyond Nuclear www.BeyondNuclear.org Linda Gunter, 301-270-2209, linda@beyondnuclear.org Takoma Park, MD Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance http://swuraniumimpacts.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/16-BVDA-factsheet.pdf Jonnie Head, 505-287-3496, headjonnie@gmail.com Milan, NM Citizens for Alternatives to Radioactive Dumping […]
115th CONGRESS 1st Session Senate Bill 197 To amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to improve compensation for workers involved in uranium mining, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JANUARY 24, 2017 Mr. CRAPO (for himself, Mr. UDALL, Mr. RISCH, Mr. HEINRICH, and Mr. BENNET) introduced the following bill; which was read twice […]
PUBLIC LAW 101-426—OCT. 15, 1990 101st Congress An Act To provide jurisdiction and procedures for claims for compassionate payments for injuries due to exposure to radiation from nuclear testing. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of theUnited States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited […]
2017 Sponsors of Amendments to Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Senate Bill 197 – Sponsors: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]* Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]* Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]* Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM]* Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]* House Bill 2049 – Sponsors: Arizona Rep. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ-7] Rep. Grijalva, Raul M. [D-AZ-3] Rep. O’Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] […]
H. R. 2049 introduced in the 115th Congress To amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to improve compensation for workers involved in uranium mining, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 6, 2017 Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico (for himself, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. PEARCE, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. O’HALLERAN, […]
UN testimony reflects on human rights toll By Kathy Helms March 6, 2017 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com ALBUQUERQUE — Although the focus of U.N. Special Rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz’s recent trip to the United States focused on energy development and its impact on indigenous peoples, she welcomed testimony that would give her a wider range of […]
Testimony: Native input lacking on developments UN officials hear complaints of indigenous rights being ignored By Kathy Helms March 4, 2017 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com ALBUQUERQUE — The concept of “free, prior and informed consent” referred to in the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is basically not worth the paper it’s […]
By Frances Madeson Special to the Navajo Times March 9, 2017 SANTA FE — Due to urgent business in Window Rock, Navajo Nation president Russell Begaye was unable to address the overflow crowd in the rotunda of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Uranium Workers Day as scheduled on Feb. 27. Consequently, he missed the […]
By Kathy Helms, Gallup Independent Feb 28, 2017 SANTA FE — The Legislature is finally on board with supporting post-1971 uranium workers and downwinders in the home state of the atomic bomb as well as expanding amendments to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to make them eligible to receive benefits. A memorial designating Uranium Workers […]
Click to read the amendments to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
For Immediate Release Monday, February 13th, 2017 Contact: For legal questions, contact Eric Jantz, (505) 750-3 027 or EJantz@nmelc.org For other questions, contact Talia Boyd, (505) 699-4544 or Talia@cvnm.org Gallup, N.M. – On behalf of two community groups, the New Mexico Environmental Law Center submitted a notice of intent to sue today to the McKinley […]
November 20, 2016, San Carlos, AZ Agenda Tribal Perspectives Protection of Cultural Landscapes Federal Legislation Federal Agencies State Agencies Fact Sheet Local Actions Uranium Declaration
January 17, 2017 MILAN — When the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series, it was proof positive that nothing is impossible — except maybe getting Congress to pass the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act amendments as written. Or getting the New Mexico Legislature to show its support for sick, dead and dying contributors to the […]
A UNM Student project from the Nuclear NM class: Amy Sedillo, Sue Schuurman and Denise Brown invite you to join us in an evening dedicated to raising awareness and spur action on the JULY 16, 1979 Uranium Mine Spill in Church Rock, NM. One of the largest radioactive leaks in human history. Thursday, Dec. 1, 6-8p Albuquerque Center […]
By Kathy Helms 11/8/16 Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com CHURCHROCK — Approximately 140,000 cubic yards of radium contaminated material have been cleaned up from the Red Water Pond Road community near Churchrock using what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls “time critical removal actions.” The big cleanup is yet to come. “Everything’s going backwards,” Bertha Nez […]
Gallup Independent, November 4, 2016 By Kathy Helms, Cibola County Bureau cibola@gallupindependent.com CHURCHROCK — Mongolian and Russian delegations from communities affected by mining have been visiting the Red Water Pond Road community since 2010. On Saturday, they were back at the home of Bertha Nez to compare notes on how their water and land have been […]
Sunday, October 23 10 am to 3 pm Protecting the mountains, valleys and mesas surrounding Mount Taylor from dirty fuels like uranium mining may seem like a task as big as the mountain itself, but you can start and join us in prayer or just take a hike! Event Details: WHAT: Deepening Our Understanding of Mt […]
MASE held a fundraising reception at the City of Mud Gallery in Santa Fe on September 27, 2016. It was an inspiring evening thanks to our presenters Navajo Nation Delegate Honorable Jonathan Perry, Laura Watchempino – Pueblo of Acoma, June Lorenzo – Pueblo of Laguna, and Kee and Teracita Keyanna – Red Water Pond Road […]
CHURCHROCK — During the 37th annual commemoration Saturday of the largest uranium spill in the United States, a moment of silence was held for the victims of the first U.S. atomic blast, which was not in Japan but in south central New Mexico at the Trinity Site July 16, 1945. The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium […]
By Talli Nauman, Native Sun News, Health & Environment Editor June 30, 2016 http://www.nsweekly.com/news/2016-06-29/Top_News/Largest_radioactive_spill_in_US_history_on_Navajo_.html WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Anticipating that “a large scale radiation contamination incident could impact the United States,” the EPA is giving the public until July 25 to comment on proposed guidelines for emergency drinking water safety. The guidelines, or Protective Action Guides (PAGs) are […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2016 Contact: Edith Hood, Red Water Pond Road Community Association 505.905.8051 home, 505.713-4085 cell Susan Gordon, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, coordinator 505.577.8438 sgordon@swuraniumimpacts.org contact for photos or graphics Red Water Pond Road Community: 37 Years Since North East Church Rock Uranium Tailings Spill That Was Never Investigated Nor Cleaned […]
Oral Histories and Photographes of Navajo Uranium Miners & Their Families May 30, 2016 Introduction by Doug Brugge The Navajo Uranium Miner Oral History and Photography Project was a university-community collaboration which I initiated and led. Many people were involved in many different roles, but critically, it was Timothy Benally and Phil Harrison who conducted the interviews […]
The Untold Story of the White Mesa Uranium Mill From the highway, it’s easy to miss the White Mesa Uranium Mill. Thousands of tourists, mountain bikers, climbers, and river rafters shuttle past it each year on southeastern Utah’s U.S. Route 191, a popular corridor connecting Arches and Canyonlands national parks to Monument Valley on the […]
The Untold Story of the White Mesa Uranium Mill From the highway, it’s easy to miss the White Mesa Uranium Mill. Thousands of tourists, mountain bikers, climbers, and river rafters shuttle past it each year on southeastern Utah’s U.S. Route 191, a popular corridor connecting Arches and Canyonlands national parks to Monument Valley on the […]
On Monday April 4, 2016, members of the US Human Rights Network coordinated National Human Rights to Water and Sanitation Coalition shared powerful and heartbreaking stories of the lack of clean and safe water and sanitation in their lives and those of their families and communities. They talked about water contamination and the harmful health impacts in […]
18 April 2016 Dear Mr. President: We, the undersigned organizations, write to urge you to cancel the 20 April 2016 Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Santa Fe, New Mexico. This lease sale, as do all new federal fossil fuel leases, continues a dangerous disconnect between your administration’s climate goals […]
For Immediate Release, April 18, 2016 SANTA FE, N.M.— Local, regional and national organizations sent a letter to President Obama today calling on him to keep federal fossil fuels in the ground and cancel the Bureau of Land Management’s federal oil and gas auction slated for April 20 in Santa Fe, N.M., owing to concerns […]
Shadow Proof April 4, 2016 by Kevin Gosztola In a hearing hosted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, representatives of indigenous, working class, and minority populations in the United States testified on water and sanitation crises. The hearing hosted by IACHR, which is part of the Organization of American States (OAS), was scheduled in response to […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 1, 2016 INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO HEAR RIGHT TO WATER TESTIMONY “It is past time for the U.S. and New Mexico governments to take our concerns seriously and take action to guarantee our rights to safe water.” Teracita Keyanna, Red Water Pond Road Community Association WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, April 4, 2016 […]
The cost of drinking water and sewer services in the United States, rising on average at twice the rate of inflation, is giving birth to a new civil rights movement, one based on access to water and sanitation for the poor. Stirred by the thousands of Detroiters whose water service was shut off in 2014, […]
CONTACT: Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney New Mexico Environmental Law Center ejantz@nmelc.org505-989-9022 Larry J. King Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining 505-979-1411 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 DISCHARGE PERMIT FOR CHURCH ROCK URANIUM MINE TERMINATED “We live everyday with environmental legacy from past uranium mining. The termination of this permit means we won’t face […]
By Elizabeth Ferry http://www.publicbooks.org/nonfiction/waste-value-and-environmental-racism-in-the-southwest March 15, 2016 — On August 5, 2015, a team contracted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to investigate a leak at the Gold King mine in Silverton, Colorado, accidentally breached the mine, sending three million gallons of toxic wastewater in a foul yellow surge down the Animas River….. […]
The state of New Mexico is offering residents kits to test for the presence of radon in their homes for $7.95. Radon is an odorless and invisible gas that can increase the risk of lung cancer, especially among people who smoke. The only way of know if it is seeping into your home is by […]
Inside America’s atomic state Residents of New Mexico reflect on the toxic legacy of life at the centre of the US nuclear complex. Samuel Gilbert | 16 Feb 2016 13:55 GMT | Al Jazzera Seventy years ago last August, a B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay released its 4,000kg load over the Japanese city of Hiroshima, […]
September 15, 2015 By Kathy Helms Cibola County Bureau GRANTS – Four federal agencies have identified a total of more than 100,000 contaminated and potentially contaminated sites on lands they manage. But that is not even a complete inventory, in particular, for abandoned mines, a General Accountability Office official said Friday. For Western states still […]
In the Southwest, poisoned uranium workers are still seeking justice BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO To talk to former uranium miners and their families is to talk about the dead and the dying. Brothers and sisters, coworkers and friends: a litany of names and diseases. Many were, as one worker put it, “ate up with cancer,” while others […]
Jackpile – Paguate Uranium Mine Superfund Site July 2015 Site History: The mine was operated by Anaconda Minerals Company, a division of Atlantic Richfield Company. Mining operations were conducted from 1953 through early 1982 from three open pits, Jackpile, North Paguate, and South Paguate. Open pit mining was conducted predominately with large front-end loaders and haul trucks. The […]
No Start Up Until Clean Up: Human Rights and the Impacts of Uranium Mining and Processing in the United States September 2014 Excerpt: A. Remediation of Historic Waste 21. The United States’ and state governments’ continuing failure to commit adequate financial and other resources to remediating radioactive waste from historic uranium mining and processing represents an ongoing violation […]
Response to the Periodic Report of the US to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination July 2014 I. Introduction 1. Uranium mining and processing has left an indelible stain on the people and environment of the western United States, and minority communities continue to grapple with this toxic legacy. 2. In particular, […]
Jan 25, 2016 By Kathy Helms Cibola County Bureau GRANTS — Petuuche Gilbert, a member of the Pueblo of Acoma, will join indigenous activists from the Navajo Nation, Standing Rock Sioux and Oglala Sioux Nation this week in Washington to raise awareness about radiation poisoning in their communities. The group is scheduled to present […]
Dear Mr. Mayerson: On behalf of Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining (“ENDAUM”) please accept the following comments on Uranium Resources, Inc.’s (“URI’s”) application for renewal of discharge permit DP-558 and the New Mexico Environment Department’s (“NMED”) draft DP-558. ENDAUM opposes renewal of DP-558 for two reasons. First, Hydro Resources, Inc. (“HRI”), URI’s wholly owned […]
Mt. Taylor Mine is now owned by Rio Grande Resources Corporation (RGR), a subsidiary of General Atomics Corporation. The mine was operated by Gulf Mineral Resource Company from 1980- 1985 and by Chevron Resources Company from 1985-1990, before the mine ceased production altogether. RGR has now requested a Standby – Return to Operations Permit. Mine owners have requested 3 Standby periods since the […]
Dear Secretary Álvarez Icaza: 1. In conformity with Article 66 of the Rules of Procedure of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the Commission), the undersigned organizations respectfully request a hearing during the 157th period of sessions of the Commission, to promote a constructive dialogue on emerging better practices to remedy and prevent violations of the human rights to […]
December 8, 2015 FRESNO, Calif. (AP) – In a trailer park tucked among irrigated orchards that help make California’s San Joaquin Valley the richest farm region in the world, 16-year-old Giselle Alvarez, one of the few English-speakers in the community of farmworkers, puzzles over the notices posted on front doors: There’s a danger in their […]
Declaration of the World Nuclear Victims Forum in Hiroshima (Draft Elements of a Charter of World Nuclear Victims’ Rights) November 23, 2015 We, participants in the World Nuclear Victims Forum, gathered in Hiroshima from November 21 to 23 in 2015, 70 years after the atomic bombings by the US government. We define the nuclear victims […]
Environmental Justice Policy Statement: The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE), a coalition of local groups within the Grants Uranium Mining District (GMD) of Northwest New Mexico, is founded upon principles of environmental justice which seek to protect our air, land, water, and health for present and future generations. To this day, residents within […]
MASE Comments on the Renewal and Modification of Discharge Permit DP-61; Rio Grande Resources Corporation RGRC’s 1995 Discharge Permit-61 Has Expired Draft DP-61 has been improperly characterized as a renewal and modification, despite the fact that the permit was last renewed in 1995. The regulatory summary for DP-61 states that the permit has been in timely renewal since […]
Mt Taylor is a Zombie mine – it is not operating and it is not being cleaned up. • Mine operated for only 8 years and stopped in 1990. • Mine has neither produced uranium nor reclaimed since then. • NM Mining and Minerals Division must consider the fact that the only economically viable activity at […]
A MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT AMENDMENTS TO EXPAND COMPENSATION UNDER THE FEDERAL RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO RADIATION. Read the memorial 15 Final HM070
A MEMORIAL REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT AMENDMENTS TO EXPAND COMPENSATION UNDER THE FEDERAL RADIATION EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO RADIATION. Read the memorial 15 Final SM101
A BILL To modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain land, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hardrock Mining and Reclamation […]
Conceptual Flow and Transport Model – Uranium Plume near the Homestake Millsite SUMMARY The Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) millsite at Grants, New Mexico, has been the source of many contaminants to the groundwater around the mill since 1961. Federal and state agencies recognized that seepage from HMC’s large tailings pile (LTP) had contaminated groundwater in subdivisions […]
Dear Supervisor Kohrman and Acting State Director Seidlitz: Pursuant to the Forest Service’s February 20, 2015 Interested Parties letter, please accept these comments on the Supplement to the Roca Honda Uranium Mine (Mine) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) from the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE), submitted by their undersigned counsel. Two computer discs […]
Notice of Discharge Permit 588 Termination 15.12.15 DP 558 canceled permit
Power Consulting, Inc. was asked by the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) to review the purely positive economic impacts that the proponents of the proposed Roca Honda Mine have claimed will result if that mine is built and operated. Those claimed benefits include new employment, wages and salaries, and revenues to state and […]
Mt. Taylor Mine was operated by Gulf Mineral Resource Company from 1980-1985 and by Chevron Resources Company from 1985-1990, before the mine ceased production altogether. The mine is now owned by Rio Grande Resources Corporation (RGR), a subsidiary of General Atomics Corporation. Mine owners have requested 3 stand-by periods since the New Mexico Mining Act […]
Homestake Barrick-Gold Corporation Jackpile – Paguate Uranium Mine Superfund Site UNC Tailings Superfund Site
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 3, 2015 Zombie Uranium Mine Owner Attempting To Shut Out Public Comment, AgainOn December 4, the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division will hold a public hearing to seek input about whether Rio Grande Resources’ (RGR) Mt. Taylor Uranium Mine can move from standby to active status. The Mt. Taylor Mine near […]
On December 4, the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division will hold a public hearing to seek input about whether Rio Grande Resources’ (RGR) Mt. Taylor Mine can restart. The public hearing is scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2015 at 10:00 AM. The location of the public hearing will be at the Commission Meeting Room, […]
The Red Water Pond Road Community has been invited to testify before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the Right to Water in the US. Edith Hood, Peterson Bell and Teracita Keyanna will be traveling to DC on Oct 20 and meeting with the NM Congressional Delegation and the Environmental Protection Agency. Watch the […]
4th Annual Uranium Film Festival October 8, from 6 pm to 8 pm Future Foundations Family Center, 551 Washington Ave Grants, NM 87020 Uranium Drive-In, a film about a rural town struggling with the pros and cons of an extractive economy, it is about finding the strength to solve complex problems by standing in someone […]
Join the Red Water Pond Road Community to commemorate 36 years since the uranium tailings spill. We will walk to the site of the spill and offer healing prayers. Food, speeches, t-shirts, silent auction and educational materials. Read about the Red Water Pond Road Community Association.
Getting Beyond the Hype: A Critical Review of the Economic Impacts of the Proposed Roca Honda Uranium Mine A report prepared for the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment April 11, 2014 By Power Consulting, Inc. www.powereconconsulting.com Roca Honda Resources LLC has proposed a uranium development project that would involve a mine in the vicinity of the city of Grants, […]
CONSIDERATION OF THE 7th, 8th and 9th PERIODIC REPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION JOINT ALTERNATIVE REPORT of INDIGENOUS WORLD ASSOCIATION AND LAGUNA-ACOMA COALITION FOR A SAFE ENVIRONMENT: The Case of Mt. Taylor, A Sacred Cultural Landscape July 21, […]
No Start Up Until Clean Up: Human Rights and the Impacts of Uranium Mining and Processing in the United States Submission to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of United States of America Second Cycle Human Rights Council U.S. COMPLIANCE WITH ITS HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS A. Remediation of Historic Waste The United States’ and state governments’ […]
RESPONSE TO THE PERIODIC REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION July 1, 2014 “There are two primary issues related to uranium mining and processing upon which CERD mandates bear. First, uranium mine and mill waste clean-up is conducted relatively quickly in predominantly non-minority […]
Uranium mining and milling activities in the Grants Uranium Belt of New Mexico form a critical link in the nuclear fuel chain that supplies nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons development. Radioactivity is released at every stage in the nuclear fuel chain, including uranium mining and milling. The 1872 Mining Act, originally created to help […]
The mission of the US Human Rights Network (USHRN) is to build the collective power and voice necessary to ensure United States accountability to universally accepted human rights standards and establish a lasting human rights culture in the United States. As such, USHRN recognizes that, all too often, the voices of those most affected by […]
RE: Roca Honda Mine Supplement to the Draft EIS — Comments Dear Supervisor Kohrman and Acting State Director Seidlitz: Pursuant to the Forest Service’s February 20, 2015 Interested Parties letter, please accept these comments on the Supplement to the Roca Honda Uranium Mine (Mine) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) from the Multicultural Alliance for a […]
“It’s neither producing uranium nor is it cleaning up its existing mess – it’s simply festering.” Susan Gordon, coordinator for MASE GRANTS, N.M.— On May 1, the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division will hold a public hearing on whether the Mt. Taylor uranium mine can remain on standby status and continue to pollute the […]
15.02.13 Media Advisory Uranium Workers’ Day Former Uranium Workers and Impacted Community Members Descend on Roundhouse to Raise Concerns About the Continuing Negative Health and Environmental Effects from Historic Uranium Mining * Uranium Workers’ Day at New Mexico Legislature is Friday, February 20th The Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment will be hosting the […]
URANIUM WORKERS’ DAY February 20 Round House in Santa Fe 9:30 Press Conference Join Us and Raise Awareness about the continuing health and environmental impacts from uranium mining faced by many New Mexicans Cosponsors: Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, McKinley Community Place Matters, Bernalillo County Place Matters, Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear […]
Human Rights Hearings
The Red Water Pond Road Community Association will be hosting its Annual Environmental Awareness Conference on Saturday, July 19th. Prayers begin at 6 am and the walk at 7 am. The location is 12 miles North of Red Rock State Park on Hwy 566. The Community Members of the North East Church Rock are very […]
Read about the Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining.
This draft letter is provided as a guide to help you or your organization create your own message about the Discharge Permit 200 for the April 29 Hearing. Please feel free to modify the letter so it works for you. Remember to submit your letter by April 29. Thank you! I believe, OR NAME OF […]
These talking points are provided as a guide to help you create your own message for the April 29 Hearing. Please feel free to modify them so they work for you. The Member groups of the the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment have suffered combined disproportionate burdens from uranium legacy contamination in the Grants Mining District for […]
These talking points are provided as a guide to help you create your own message for the April 29 Hearing. Please feel free to modify them so they work for you. • New Mexico needs to protect its clean water. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is responsible for making sure that Homestake cleans up the water that […]
These talking points are provided as a guide to help you create your own message for the April 29 Hearing. Please feel free to modify them so they work for you. • Homestake wants to discharge up to 5,500 gallons per minute of treated water from its uranium tailings piles, but the treated water is not safe to […]
George Rice January 21, 2014 This is an evaluation of the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Draft Ground Water Discharge Permit DP-200 Renewal and Modification (DP-200, the permit)1. The permit is for Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) mill near Grants, New Mexico. This evaluation was performed for the Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance (BVDA). For more information […]
This report evaluates the effectiveness of Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) large tailings pile (LTP) flushing program, and HMC’s estimates of future seepage from the LTP. It also presents an alternate estimate of seepage and its effect on groundwater quality. This report was produced for the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE). For more information […]
This report evaluates the effectiveness of Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) large tailings pile (LTP) flushing program, and HMC’s estimates of future seepage from the LTP. It also presents an alternate estimate of seepage and its effect on groundwater quality. This report was produced for the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE). For more information […]
MASE recommends that Homestake’s discharge plan should detail the methods, demonstrations, and techniques it proposes to provide for clean-up of damaged groundwater, before completion of a revised Draft DP-200. For more information see attached pdf: 14.02 MASE Comments & Request for Hearing, DP200
By James R. Kuipers, P.E. and Kuipers & Associates LLC October 29, 2012 The following comments are based on a technical review of the Grants Reclamation Project Updated Corrective Action Program (CAP) or other documents as referenced. The comments have been developed on behalf of the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and are intended to address key issues of […]
George Rice January 21, 2014 This is an evaluation of Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) Progress Summary: Microfiltration, LTP Tracer Testing, TPP Injections Research, CAP, DRP, Site-Wide Water Balance Tool, and Rebound Evaluation (Progress Summary)1. This evaluation was performed for the Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance (BVDA). For more information see attached pdf: Comments on Homestake Mining […]
Comments on the Grants Reclamation Project, Updated Corrective Action Program (CAP) Homestake Mining Company of California, March 2012
Comments on the New Mexico Environment Department Ground Water Quality Bureau Draft Ground Water Discharge Permit DP-200 Renewal and Modification George Rice January 21, 2014 This is an evaluation of the New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) Draft Ground Water Discharge Permit DP-200 Renewal and Modification (DP-200, the permit)1. The permit is for Homestake Mining Company’s (HMC) […]
CONNECTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES: Think OUTside the Mine A documentary film festival on energy, and the health and environmental consequences of uranium mining and milling, oil and gas production, and nuclear disasters and waste management Saturday, March 15 from 10 am to 3 pm New Mexico State University Campus Theater 500 N 3rd Street, Grants, NM […]
New York Times: Amid Toxic Waste, a Navajo Village Could Lose Its Land By DAN FROSCH FEB. 19, 2014 A contaminated pile near the community of Red Water Pond Road holds a million cubic yards of waste from the Old Northeast Church Rock Mine. Mark Holm for The New York Times CHURCH ROCK, N.M. […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 23, 2013 Contact: Leona Morgan Sierra Club Front End Working Group leonamorgan@icloud.com 505-879-8547 Stealth Bill Undermines Navajo Uranium Ban by Allowing ISL “Demonstration” in Churchrock Scheduled for Vote Monday Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie proposes legislation to allow in situ leach uranium mining Chilchinbeto, Ariz. — Proposed legislation […]
To be delivered to: Joe Norrell, Acting Forest Supervisor, U.S. Forest Service PETITION STATEMENT: I urge you to protect New Mexico’s environment and public health by opposing the Roca Honda uranium mine on Mt. Taylor. Please choose the “No Action” Alternative in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. PETITION BACKGROUND:For the first time in 30 years, […]
CHURCHROCK, N.M. — On July 19, 2012, the uranium mining company Hydro Resources Inc. signed an agreement with the Navajo Nation giving the mining company limited access across Navajo Indian Country to its Churchrock Section 8 mine site. The agreement specifically states that Hydro Resources (a subsidiary of Uranium Resources Inc.) cannot begin mining uranium […]