Abstract
This article summarizes the current status of known contamination arising from abandoned uranium mines (AUMs) within the Navajo Nation and examines the options for addressing the elevated risks to health that AUM waste poses to the people of the Navajo Nation. More specifically, this article provides the following: An overview of past uranium mining conducted on the Navajo Nation, the current status of AUM waste within the Navajo Nation, and the human health risks associated with uranium exposure. A discussion of Navajo Fundamental Law, the Dine (the Navajo People) Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission, and the Navajo Nation Department of Justice's position regarding institutional controls and cleanup of AUMs. A summary of cleanup actions taken to date to address AUM waste and the lessons learned from such actions. Options for cleanup of AUM waste consistent with Dine Fundamental Law, the Dine Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The information summarized in this article was previously presented as an “Initial White Paper on Cleanup Options for Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mines,” prepared with participation from multiple stakeholders including the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA), the Navajo Nation Department of Justice (NNDOJ), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). ©2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Published Version
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