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A new study by the University of New Mexico found that 26 percent of women and infants living on the Navajo Nation had exceedingly high levels of uranium in their bodies. The research highlights the continuing impact of uranium mining, even though active mining on the reservation ended in the mid-1980s.
Abandoned mining and milling sites are widespread on the Navajo Nation—the Environmental Protection Agency has identified more than 200 abandoned uranium mines for inspection and clean-up. New Mexico Senator Tom Udall echoed community concerns about the slow pace of cleanup, saying, "They feel an urgency. They feel that things need to happen today."
While research continues to show the toxic legacy of uranium across the Four Corners region, the Trump administration is looking to expand domestic uranium mining. The Interior Department slashed Bears Ears National Monument at the behest of one uranium corporation, and is now evaluating whether to open the watershed surrounding the Grand Canyon to new uranium mining claims.
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To the outdoor enthusiasts who don't yet know about our rivers, our rapids, our mountains, our trails, our ski slopes—you will soon”
