Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
naturally occurring uranium can affect the developing human fetus (Charp, 2011). Quantifiable
impacts to children (as opposed to adults) from present-day uranium mining are unknown.
However, for purposes of this analysis it is assumed that children are more sensitive to any
radioactivity exposure because their cells are more actively dividing than those of adults.
As such, potential impacts to youth community and recreational facilities including childcare
centers, schools, recreational facilities, and social welfare facilities located in Cibola and
McKinley Counties will be used to determine if the proposed action poses a concern to children.
The duration, proximity, and frequency of potential health risks from mining are considered to
qualify the potential level of impacts.
For the same reasons discussed above with regard to minority and low-income populations,
children are not likely to be disproportionately exposed to uranium, its daughter products such as
radon, or radioactivity as a result of the proposed action. No milling or processing would take
place at the Roca Honda Mine site, it is set back by approximately 3 miles from the nearest
residences (further from schools), and it would be sequestered from the public by fencing.
Other potential impacts from the proposed action on children could hypothetically stem from its
effects on air quality (fugitive dust and tailpipe emissions) and traffic/transportation.
Six elementary schools (kindergarten through 6 th grade) are located within a 20-mile radius of the
proposed mine site. Two secondary schools are also located within 20 miles of the proposed mine
site in Grants (USDA, 2012b). The “Save the Children” after-school program is available to all
students enrolled in the aforementioned schools, but is not offered at any of the six elementary
schools (Lujan, 2012).
The Head Start Program in Gallup is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
that provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to lowincome
children aged 3 to 4 and their families. As defined by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, the 2010 poverty threshold is defined as a maximum annual income of $18,310
or less for a family of three (USDHHS, 2010). A total of 197 children aged 3 to 5 are currently
enrolled in the Gallup Head Start Program. Since most children reside in the larger Gallup area
and do not travel far, potential impacts from the proposed mining activities would be negligible.
As discussed above, traffic, time delays, and road closures due to mining and transport activities
associated with the proposed action are not anticipated.
A total of 174 children are currently enrolled in the Grants Head Start Program, 22 of whom have
a disability. The majority of children reside in the Grants-Milan area, but some travel from
Centerwater and San Mateo (Diaz, 2012). Traffic, road closures, and time delays from the
proposed action are not anticipated at the Gallup and Grants Head Start Programs.
The Grants Recreation Department in Grants manages parks, recreation facilities, and offers
youth summer programs. Mirabel Park offers a playground, two picnic shelters, and one
basketball goal. The Paddy Martinez Park is named after the shepherd who originally discovered
uranium in 1950, which sparked the uranium boom and is a public space for children to play
(GRD, 2011). Other parks in close proximity to the proposed mine site include Wells, Peel Street,
Kiwanis Park, and the Kerr McGee Park. Summer youth activities include rollerblading, frisbee,
biking, field trips, arts and crafts, swimming, football, golf, cheerleading, tennis, and reading at
the Mother Whiteside Library. Potential impacts to children and youth recreation activities would
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 277