US uranium update

US uranium update

9th November 2007

As physicians in a Colorado county come out against in-situ and open-pit uranium mining, a joint Navajo-Congress roundtable examines the legacy of uranium on Navjao lands, following the Nation's 2005 mining ban.

County Medical Society opposes uranium mining

Cory D. Carroll, M.D.,

8th November 2007

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071107/OPINION04/711070312

What is the value of clean water? Perhaps a more pertinent question is what is the value of contaminated water? The proposed uranium mining in Weld County will adversely impact our environment. The extent is not completely known, but the historical record is clear; uranium mining leaves behind contamination.

The Larimer County Medical Society was petitioned by physicians as well as residents in our county to look at the issue of uranium mining. On July 15, the LCMS Board of Directors passed a resolution that opposes in-situ and open-pit mining of uranium in our county. Because of the multiple contaminants (uranium, radium, selenium, lead, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, etc.) that are disturbed in the mining process and, the fact that these mining operations are dangerously close to population centers, it is critical to shut down this process before any damage is done.

I met with the Powertech executives as well as the Colorado Mining Association at the Colorado Medical Society offices in Denver. The mining industry continues to portray the in-situ and open-pit mining process as safe and innocuous. Only the naïve will believe them.

Powertech has never mined uranium and one of its experts has an interesting history in the uranium industry. Mr. Blubaugh is Powertech's vice president of health, safety and environmental resources. Prior to Powertech, one of his jobs was a vice president of the Atlas Corporation that mined for uranium near Moab, Utah. The following is taken from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Web site regarding the Atlas open-pit mine in Utah:

"Atlas' proposed remediation was to stabilize the tailings pile in place to meet the standards in AppendixA. Because the site is located along the Colorado River and some contamination is seeping into the river, various individuals and organizations have mounted significant opposition to reclamation of the site... In September 1998, partly as a result of the costs attributable to defending its remediation proposal, Atlas filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of the settlement of the bankruptcy, NRC, along with the State of Utah agreed to the establishment of a trust, with NRC and Utah as the beneficiaries, which would be responsible for the mill site and its remediation." ( www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccolletions/commission/ secys/2001/secy2001-0190/ 2001-0190scy.html)

Blubaugh insists Powertech will not contaminate - I wonder if he made that statement when he was with Atlas. By the way, who do you think is picking up the multi-million dollar tab for the Atlas remediation? Correct, taxpayers!

Powertech will explain that the in-situ mining process is safe because of the lack of tailings (material that is left over with open-pit mines). A very important fact to remember is that there is a large and complicated network of underground water systems called aquifers. These aquifers provide water for drinking and irrigation. Once contaminated, there is no reasonable way to return the aquifer system to its pre-contaminated state. This is the main reason the Larimer County Medical Society is in opposition to both the in-situ and open-pit uranium mining processes near population centers. The Medical Society will not stand by and allow our valuable resources, resources that are critical to health and life, be damaged.

Cory D. Carroll, M.D., is president of the Larimer County Medical Society.

Navajo Leads Uranium Roundtable on Capitol Hill

Navajo Nation Press Release

9th November 2007

Contact: Desmond Tome:

202-682-7390 or 202-607-5507 (wireless)

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Three members of Congress joined the Navajo Nation yesterday in a discussion on the ban of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation.

"Over a half century ago the United States government faced by the threats of the Cold War began a massive effort to mine and process uranium ore for use in the country's nuclear weapons programs," said Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, as he gave his opening statement at the Rayburn House Office building on Capitol Hill. "Much of that uranium was mine on, or near, Navajo lands and much of it extracted and processed with Navajo hands."

The Uranium Roundtable, held jointly by the Navajo Nation and Congress, was an open discussion for Navajo leadership and community members affected by uranium mining to come together with Congress and federal agencies.

Federal government agencies represented at the Roundtable included the Indian Health Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Energy.

"Workers, families, and their neighbors suffer increased incidences of cancers and other medical disorders caused by their exposure to uranium," said President Shirley. "Fathers and sons who went to work in the mins and the processing facilities brought the remnants of uranium in to their homes at the end of the day infecting their families."

The Roundtable was hosted by Congressman Tom Udall, D-NM-3, who chaired and lead the discussion of the forum.

"We gather today to engage in a discussion of the very serious issues facing the Navajo Nation as a result of uranium development," said Congressman Udall. "This is an opportunity for all parties to come together to outline specific steps that Congress, federal agencies, and the Navajo Nation can take toward rectifying past wrongs, and creating safer communities in the Navajo Nation."

Congressmen Jim Matheson, D-UT-2, and Rick Renzi, R-AZ-1, participated in the three hour forum attended by more than 60 people, including many from the Navajo Nation, and the neighboring town of Grants, New Mexico.

During the Roundtable, Congressman Renzi asked Dr. Charles Miller of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about the process of permits for mining uranium on the Navajo Nation.

"Our approach is to carry out the review of the license," responded Dr. Miller, explaining that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seated with responsibility to conduct a review of granting permits for uranium mining. He further explained that their process does not prohibit the Navajo Nation from enforcing Navajo laws to stop uranium mining.

In 2005, the Navajo Nation Council passed the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act, which places a ban on uranium mining on Navajo lands.

Other Navajo leaders who participated in the Roundtable included Council Delegate Phil Harrison of Red Valley and Cove Chapters. Harrison, a member of the Navajo Nation Council Committee on Natural Resources, spoke on the contamination of uranium mining in Navajo communities.

"We're talking about a situation that is occurring today in places like Tuba City, and other places throughout Navajo Indian country," said Harrison. "The experiment on our health and welfare, being conducted with the complicity of the United States government continues."

Harrison was followed by statements of Steven Etsitty, executive director for Navajo Environmental Protection Agency, Arvin Trujillo, executive director for Navajo Division of Natural Resources, Cora Maxx-Phillips, executive director for Navajo Social Services, Anslem Roanhorse, executive director for Navajo Health.

A major emphasis of the Uranium Roundtable is the ongoing clean up of years of uranium mining on the Navajo Nation. Several Navajo mining sites show high levels of contamination to soil and water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency vowed to test and re-test the Navajo sites but may not be able to respond to testing them all.

Other Navajo community members who participated included Mitchell Capitan, Robert Tohy, and Keith Killian, who represents several Navajo families in claims for compensation.

Congressman Matheson presented a question to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a practice of blending contaminated water with pristine drinking water. The agency responded by saying that the process is used, but that it does not exceed contaminant levels.

"I still remain skeptical," said Congressman Matheson, who concluded by saying that the follow up to the Uranium Roundtable will include a follow up in December to the health and effects of uranium mining on Navajo lands hearing held in October before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by Henry Waxman, D-CA-30.

In his closing statement President Shirley said, "We should have never had this happen." The president listed the number of health effects of uranium mining, and emphasized the need for Congress to amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

"The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act needs to be reopened to cover those workers exposed to uranium contamination after 1971, and to abolish the arbitrary geographic limitation that limits the claims of the so called downwinders," said President Shirley.