Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Roca Honda Mine

Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
“Legacy issues,” discussed more systematically and from a somewhat different angle in the next
section, is the term used to refer to the historical impacts of uranium mining in the ROI, including
peoples’ biophysical, social, and political experiences. Although these experiences may have
taken place in the past, they remain deeply embedded within the social history and collective
psyche of these communities, and continue to affect current perceptions and the adaptive potential
of both communities and individuals toward new proposed projects. As such, legacy issues act as
a social determinant of health and are linked with chronic diseases, social pathologies, and mental
health. Ultimately they affect the future trajectory of communities.
In order to fully elucidate the health impacts that could result from the culmination of legacy
issues and present and future developments, it is important to understand the experiences of the
population living in the ROI as they relate to past uranium mining. This section presents: a brief
historical review of uranium mining in the ROI; a synopsis of some of the scientific findings of
the health effects of uranium mining on workers and nearby residents; an overview of the
community-based studies on uranium mining and human health in the ROI; and a brief
description of the multiagency remediation plans for the abandoned uranium mines in the ROI.
History of Uranium Mining in the ROI
The ROI is situated in the Grants Mineral Belt, one of the largest uranium belts in the world
(Boulanger and Gorman, 2004). As such, uranium mining has been active in this area since the
late 1940s. During the peak of uranium mining in the mid-1950s—a time that was known as the
“uranium rush” —there were roughly 750 mines in operation in the area (Brugge and Goble,
2002). Today more than 1,200 abandoned uranium mines remain scattered across the Grants
Mineral Belt; most of these mines are on Navajo lands (Grey et al., 2003).
On July 16, 1979, the area also became the site of the largest release of radioactive waste in the
United States. In total, 1100 tons of radioactive mill waste and 93 million gallons of contaminated
liquids were released from the Church Rock Uranium Mill into the Rio Puerco River when the
tailing pond’s earthen dam failed (Boulanger and Gorman, 2004; Brugge et al., 2007). This spill
site continues to contaminate water and land of the Navajo Nation and is a priority cleanup area
for the Navajo Nation (USEPA, 2008).
Scientific Study of Health Effects Associated with Uranium Mining
The scientific study of health effects associated with uranium mining is ongoing and is continuing
to yield new findings. This section describes the U.S. government’s characterization of uranium
and health and reviews the literature on the impact uranium mining has had on both uranium
miners and community residents living adjacent to uranium mining activities.
It is the responsibility of the U.S. government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to provide data that are significant
in the protection of public health. As such, and in accordance with the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (aka Superfund), the ATSDR
provides peer-reviewed toxicological profiles for toxic substances, which characterize the
toxicological and adverse health effects information for these toxic substances. In the
toxicological profile for uranium, the ATSDR states: oral exposure to large amounts of uranium
can damage the kidneys; there is no conclusive evidence that uranium produces cancer in
DEIS for Roca Honda Mine, Cibola National Forest 427