PINEDALE, N.M. – Cleanup has officially begun at the Northeast Church Rock uranium mine, marking a major milestone in the Navajo Nation’s decades-long effort to address the impacts of uranium contamination and protect surrounding communities.
The $62 million project will relocate nearly one million cubic yards of radioactive mine waste from the former mine site to a newly engineered disposal repository on nearby privately owned land managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. General Electric, the successor to United Nuclear Corporation, will fund 70 percent of the cleanup costs.
Developed through years of collaboration among the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, the New Mexico Environment Department, and General Electric, the selected remedy uses the best available option at this time to remove the waste from its current location and place it in a monitored, engineered repository designed to better protect public health, groundwater, and the environment.
The Northeast Church Rock uranium mine has remained the number one cleanup priority under NEPA due to its proximity to nearby communities and concerns about potential radiological exposure. For decades, residents have advocated for action to address the contamination left behind by uranium mining and the lasting impacts on their families, lands, and way of life.
“For decades, the people of Church Rock have carried the health and environmental impacts of one of the largest radioactive releases in our nation’s history while continuing to call for action,” said Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren. “This cleanup is an important step forward, but our work does not end here. We will continue working alongside the community, the Navajo Nation EPA, and our partners to address their concerns, pursue the solutions they deserve, and protect our homeland for future generations.”
Navajo Nation EPA Executive Director Stephen Etsitty said the cleanup represents meaningful progress while recognizing the community’s long-standing goal of seeing the waste removed from the Navajo Nation.
“Relocating the waste to a modern, engineered repository is a significant improvement over leaving it at the former mine site. At the same time, we recognize that the community has consistently called for the waste to be removed from the Navajo Nation altogether,” said Director Etsitty. “As technology advances, we remain open to future solutions that provide even greater protection for our people, our groundwater, and future generations.”
The repository will remain under long-term monitoring to ensure continued protection of public health and the environment. The Navajo Nation EPA will continue working with its partners and community members to monitor the project, evaluate emerging technologies, and advocate for responsible solutions to address the broader legacy of uranium contamination across the Navajo Nation.
The first transport of uranium mine waste to the repository is expected to begin this winter.
Community members joined representatives from the Navajo Nation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, the New Mexico Environment Department, General Electric, local chapter leadership, and other partners to mark the beginning of the cleanup effort.
