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Friday, September 28, 2001
By Indian Country Today
CROWNPOINT, N.M. -- The energy bill going before the Senate includes
$30 million for Hydro Resources Inc. for leach uranium mining on
the Navajo Nation, where communities are already suffering from
disease and death after a half-century of uranium mining during
the Cold War.
"We're mad as hell," said Lori Goodman, spokeswoman for Dine Citizens
Against Ruining our Environment (Dine CARE). "While we are told
there is no money to pay the ill uranium miners, funds are being
set aside in the House Energy Bill -- $30 million -- for corporations
to start uranium mining in New Mexico. Where is the compassion for
the miners made ill by their work?
Or is that compassion only reserved for the rich?" Goodman said,
as Navajos prepared to rally at Red Rock State Park Sept. 25-26 in
opposition to the funding.
Calling it "corporate welfare," Goodman said amendment sponsor Rep.
Heather Wilson, R-N.M., was quick to fund uranium mining companies,
while "she never lifted a hand for the uranium workers' concerns."
Ann Reitz of Crownpoint said Wilson should move to Crownpoint if
she wants uranium mining here. "The sad truth is that Hydro Resources
would never get away with such an outrageous proposal in any Anglo
community in this country," Reitz said.
Uranium mining would contaminate the primary source of drinking
water for more than 15,000 Dine people and Anglo teachers and health
care workers in Crownpoint, Coyote Canyon, Mariano Lake, and Smith
Lake.
"The people of this community have spoken, but their Navajo leaders
and federal politicians continue to ignore the fact that the majority
of us do not want this mine. Would Wilson like her children to be
in school a quarter of a mile downwind from acres of drying ponds
containing radioactive slurry, or to drink water from wells a
quarter of a mile from 'pregnant lixiviant' loaded with uranium,
radium, arsenic, selenium, molybdenum?" asked Reitz.
The uranium mining funding was added during consideration of the
Bush energy bill by Wilson. It gives $30 million to Hydro Resources
Inc. to develop in-situ leach-uranium mines at four sites in
northeastern New Mexico.
Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said he attempted to strike the provision
in the final energy bill but was not successful. The House passed
the overall energy bill in late July. Action is pending in the
Senate. Udall said it is "sadly ironic" that the United States on
one hand recognized Navajo Code Talkers with Congressional Gold
Medals, then delivers a "slap in the face"
to Navajos in New Mexico.
"The uranium provisions are opposed by Native American groups,
environmentalists, and taxpayer watchdog groups who have labeled
the Wilson provision as 'blatant corporate welfare'," said Glen
Loveland, press secretary for Udall.
Udall urged his colleagues to vote against the amendment in H.R.
4 of the Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001.
Udall said Section 306 authorizes the appropriation of a $10 million
payment, or subsidies, for three years to domestic uranium producers
to identify, test, and develop improved in-situ leaching mining.
"This legislation is not needed for research and development
purposes. In fact, this in-situ leaching process causes radioactive
uranium and other toxic chemicals to leach into groundwater,
threatening the public health of communities surrounding the mines,"
Udall told Congress.
"The local Navajo communities have suffered tremendously over this
government's past practices and policies regarding uranium mining,"
Udall said, pointing out that Arizona, Colorado, and Utah are
already suffering from long-term uranium mining.
Udall said currently the nation cannot compensate for past damages
caused by uranium mining. "We as a nation cannot find the financial
resources necessary to fully fund the Radiation Exposure Compensation
Act, or RECA, to compensate the victims of past uranium development,
but we may put our stamp of approval on this $30 million subsidy
for the uranium industry."
The amendment came as Bush announced he will stall benefits to some
victims of uranium mining.
"Last year, Congress clearly mandated payments under the Radiation
Exposure Compensation Act to former uranium miners, workers, and
downwinders," said Melton Martinez, president of Eastern Navajo
Uranium Workers. "But now, the government is denying and delaying
justice by changing the rules and have even stated clearly their
priority constituents."
In defense of her amendment, Wilson said, "The industry has convinced
me that this is worth looking into." Wilson said she believes it
is equally appropriate to do research into uranium. Hydro Resources
Inc. is seeking approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
to develop four in-situ mines northeast of Gallup.
Jill Lancelot, cofounder and legislative director of Taxpayers for
Common Sense in Washington, D.C., was among those opposing the
amendment. "This is simply propping up the uranium mining industry
at the expense of fiscal common sense," Lancelot said.
Speaking out at a community meeting in Crownpoint, Navajoland
doctors said their major concern is in-situ leach mining will
produce harmful uranium levels and damage human kidneys. There is
more than 200 times the uranium level in the Crownpoint aquifer
than is designated as a safe level by the World Health Organization.
Uniting to oppose the effort are Eastern Navajo Dine Against Uranium
Mining, Dine CARE, American Indian Movement, Southwest Research
and Information Center, Physicians Resisting In-Situ Mining, New
Mexico Environmental Law Center, U.S. and New Mexico Public Interest
Research Groups, Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council,
Mineral Policy Center, Nuclear Information Resource Service, Public
Citizen, and Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Copyright 2001, Indian Country Today
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