Earlier today, the President of the Navajo Nation, Buu Nygren, declared that he would be dispatching police to put an end to the transportation of uranium across tribal lands. According to President Nygren, the shipment was being conducted in violation of the law, and the mining company’s failure to give prior notice posed a significant risk to his people.
Nygren expressed his concern, stating that the failure to inform the Navajo Nation is a clear violation of their tribal sovereignty. This negligence puts the Diné people at risk of exposure to toxic uranium, a substance that has caused immense harm to their community for many years.
The legacy of uranium and the Navajo Nation
Millions of tons of high-grade uranium ore were extracted from sites across the Colorado Plateau, including many on the Navajo reservation, during the development of the first nuclear bomb and the subsequent nuclear arms race. As a result, Navajo lands were home to a significant number of uranium mines.
During the Cold-War era, mines were flourishing, but their regulation was poor. The Navajo people, who made up a significant portion of the workforce, were not informed about the health hazards associated with radiation exposure. Although the Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970 to regulate worker safety, it was too late to reverse the immense damage that had already been inflicted upon the Navajo reservation and its people.
On tribal lands, the enforcement of laws and regulations was poor, even as they came into effect. As a result, Navajo uranium miners were afflicted with high rates of lung cancer and tuberculosis, amongst other diseases. The environmental contamination that arose from uranium mining has continued to persist in the present day.
The Navajo Nation bans uranium mining and shipping
The Navajo people took a significant step in 2005 by passing the Diné Natural Resources Protection Act, which banned uranium mining and processing on their lands. Although efforts are underway to clean up contaminated areas, the Navajo population still experiences high rates of cancer.
In 2012, the Navajo Nation implemented a tribal law that prohibits the transportation of uranium within the reservation’s boundaries, spanning across Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. However, there is an exception to this law that allows for transportation on specific state and federal highways.
The illegal shipment
The United States’ largest uranium provider, Energy Fuels Inc., has reached an agreement with the tribe to provide prior notice before transporting uranium across exempted highways. This move comes after the tribe expressed concern over the lack of notification, with reports indicating that they only found out about the shipment after the trucks had already left.
According to the Associated Press, the trucks managed to leave tribal lands before the tribal police could intercept them, despite Nygren’s efforts to send them away.
Nygren, as the president, expressed his disapproval towards the transportation and vowed to persist in his fight to safeguard the citizens from the actions of Energy Fuels.
Energy Fuels has not yet responded to requests for comment from several news outlets, including the Associated Press.
Although the shipment on Tuesday was swiftly transported out of tribal lands, there is no assurance that Energy Fuels will uphold their commitment in the long run. To ensure that the tribe can establish its regulations, President Nygren has pledged to implement roadblocks that will prevent any more uranium shipments.
The protection of their people is just the beginning for Nygren and the Navajo Nation.
