October 10 2024.
SAN FRANCISCO — On September 27, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) committed to cleanup decisions for seven abandoned uranium mine sites in the Navajo Nation. Once completed, these cleanup projects will address over 1 million cubic yards of contaminated soil and restore approximately 260 acres of Navajo land for the benefit of communities in the Smith Lake and Mariano Lake chapters of the Navajo Nation.
“Today’s announcement marks clear progress on addressing the painful legacy of uranium mine contamination in Navajo Nation,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “These cleanup decisions have been made in close coordination with the Navajo Nation government, with the ultimate goal of restoring land for unrestricted use by Navajo communities.”
With these selected cleanup decisions EPA has committed to cleaning up over 2 million cubic yards of mine on the Navajo Nation. The seven abandoned mine sites for which cleanup plans have been decided are Mariano Lake, Mac 1 & 2, Black Jack 1 & 2, and Ruby 1 & 3 mine sites. These cleanups will be conducted as removal actions under EPA’s Superfund authorities.
From 1944 to 1986, nearly 30 million tons of uranium ore were extracted from Navajo lands under leases with the Navajo Nation. Many Navajo people worked the mines, often living and raising families near the mines and mills. Today the mines are closed, but a legacy of uranium contamination remains.
EPA Region 9’s Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine program was established to address this legacy contamination, and it works in close partnership with Navajo Nation EPA throughout the cleanup process.
To date, EPA’s critical removal actions have addressed approximately 200,000 cubic yards of mine waste and eliminated immediate hazards at over 30 mine sites. This has included excavating contaminated soil from residential areas, covering contaminated areas with clean soil, erecting fences, and posting signs to prevent exposure. EPA’s prior listing of Lukachukai Mountain Mining District will also enable the clean-up of 88 mines containing approximately 800,000 to 1 million tons of mine waste.
You can read more about EPA’s Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine program on EPA’s Navajo Nation Uranium Cleanup webpage.
