Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
rates in Cibola and McKinley Counties were 7.6 and 9.6 percent, respectively in 2010 (NMDH,
2011).
The arrival of the proposed action and future developments would likely stimulate the economy
in the ROI by increasing employment opportunities and by supporting local businesses. This
would probably generate certain characteristics of a boom period: in-migration of workers, an
increase in disposable income, and decreased unemployment. Conversely, if the price of uranium
deems projects to be economically unviable, or when project life cycles end, characteristics of a
bust period could occur: out-migration of workers and families, decreases in disposable income,
and increased unemployment. The extent to which these impacts affect health greatly depends on
the overall magnitude of the boom and bust periods (e.g., number of operations and price
fluctuations of the commodity) and the overall economic climate within the ROI.
Various health and societal impacts have been documented in boom bust cycles in resource
development towns. Although the extent to which these impacts manifest greatly depends on the
general trends present in the local context. The majority of these health and societal impacts are
summarized in an article by Shandro and colleagues (2011) and are stated below:
During boom periods, the following impacts have been observed:
• shortages in housing
• strained education and health care systems
• less time for family and traditional activities
• challenges in finding child care
• mental health and depression in women of miners unable to find work
• increase in pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases
During bust periods, the following impacts have been observed:
• mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
• increased morbidity in unemployed workers
During both boom and bust periods, the following impacts have been observed:
• increased levels of substance abuse and gambling
• family instability, abandonment and divorce and child neglect
• increased violence toward women
Perspectives on Uranium Mining’s Long-term Legacy
“We are still undergoing what appears to be a never-ending Federal experiment to
see how much devastation can be endured by a people and a society from
exposure to radiation in the air, in the water, in mines, and on the surface of the
land. We are unwilling to be the subjects of that ongoing experiment any longer.”
– George Arthur, Navajo Resources Chairman, Testimony before the House
Committee on Uranium, Washington, D.C., October 24, 2007 (Navajo Nation,
2007).
426 DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest