Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
People who have diabetes or other types or renal damage have been shown to be particularly
sensitive to kidney toxicity from uranium exposure (Toth et al., 2003). Both Native American and
Hispanic population groups have higher rates of diabetes in New Mexico and should be
considered to be sensitive to kidney toxicity and the subsequent health indications. Uranium
miners who have inhaled uranium have also shown evidence of renal toxicity; however, most data
illustrate the radioactive impacts of inhaling radon daughters and the subsequent development of
lung cancer (ATSDR, 2008; Toth et al., 2003).
In the ROI, the New Mexico Department of Health recently conducted a study examining
uranium in sources of drinking water and in urine samples. Their study found that 88 out of 91
water samples collected had uranium content below the safe drinking water standard of 30
micrograms per liter and that only three samples were at or above the safe drinking water
standard. However, despite these results, residents in the study had uranium concentrations in
their urine that were 6–9 times higher than the U.S. national average. Although there were
limitations to the study design, this information suggests that residents in the ROI are being
exposed to high amounts of uranium through pathways other than drinking water (NMDH,
2011f). The study did not make inferences as to what the health implications might be for the
current elevated levels of uranium in urine.
Other studies in the ROI have found contaminated water around past mining and milling sites as
well as high levels of radioactivity in and around certain dwellings. These contaminated areas are
all being examined in multiagency 5-year plans for the Grants Mining District and Navajo Nation
(USEPA, 2008; USEPA, 2011f).
Other Chronic Diseases
Table 84 outlines other chronic diseases rates for Cibola and McKinley County.
Table 84. Chronic disease rates in Cibola and McKinley Counties
Cibola County
(95% CI)
Diabetes (%), 2007-2009 13.9
(10.7 – 17.7)
Adult obesity (%), 2001-2009 33.4
(27.2 – 40.3)
Adolescent obesity (%), 2001-2009 14.4
(12.0 – 17.1)
Source: NMDH, 2011a
Abbreviations: CI – confidence interval
McKinley County
(95% CI)
12.4
(10.4 – 14.8)
33.0
(29.5 – 36.7)
15.4
(13.6 – 17.3)
New Mexico
(95% CI)
7.9
(7.5 – 8.4)
25.7
(24.1 – 27.4)
13.5
(11.3 – 16.0)
The prevalence of diabetes has been steadily increasing over the past decade in New Mexico,
increasing from approximately 6.6 percent in 2000 to 8.3 percent in 2009 (NMDH, 2011a). This
trend resembles that which has been seen across the country. It is estimated that one-third of
diabetes cases are undiagnosed, therefore, these rates likely underestimate the actual prevalence.
In New Mexico, Hispanic, American Indian, and African American populations have statistically
significantly higher rates of diabetes than non-Hispanic Whites. Rates of diabetes in Cibola and
390 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest