In a move heralded as the beginning of environmental restoration, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated the Lukachukai Mountains Mining District as a Superfund site, aiming to mitigate decades of uranium mining's impact on the Navajo Nation.
Noel Lyn Smith reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The Superfund listing opens federal funding for the cleanup of over 800,000 cubic yards of hazardous waste left by uranium and vanadium mining operations from 1949 to 1968.
- Navajo residents have suffered health and environmental consequences for years, with many developing cancer attributed to uranium exposure.
- The cleanup effort represents a critical collaboration between the Navajo Nation and the EPA, with a focus on trust and communication to heal the community.
Key quote:
"They went home like that, uranium dust on their clothes. They slept with our moms like that. We, as kids, played with them like that."
— James Benally, Cove Chapter president
Why this matters:
Uranium mining casts a long shadow over environmental health and safety and is particularly evident in its historical and ongoing impact on Navajo lands.
