Navajo Environmental Protection Agency: We have uranium cleanup standards.

Here at Navajo council Resources & Development Committee’s Subcommi ttee on a Proposed agreement between the Navajo Nation and URI/Uranium Resources Inc. of Texas for URI to conduct a demonstration project involving In-Situ Uranium Mining near Church Rock, N.M. Before I go any further, please excuse all typos and grammar errors and misspelling because I’m typing as fast as I can from this meeting at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Ariz. Subcommittee member are Chairperson Leonard Tsosie and Vice Chairperson Leonard Pete.

L.TSOSIE
Based on 14 days, cud i ask NEPA and URI to come up with process to set standard.

NEPA
I broght up comprehensive health study because URI is asking to bring in other data.

NEPA DIRECTOR ETSITTY
we have been expecting technical report from URI. even though some things immediately on our plate, as soon as get report, we will look at and then look at goal of what shud be standard. We have been on standby for report.

NEPA FREDA
certainly we wud talk and negotiate. one comment when Pete talking quality control, you have do entire site. make sure u have good data and set up instrumentation. we send field equipment to third party and calibrate and then calibrate out in field which assures quality control and quality assurance.

L.TSOSIE
good we shall look forward to report. but don’t put too many scientific numbers in there.

L.PETE
if u take one action on one site then standard there but if use for different site then i don’t support.

FORMER COUNCIL DELEGATE DANIEL TSO
Wat u are trying to do is compromise with these folks and we don’t need to compormise. We draw line in dirt and say this is the way it shud be. There is law banning uranium mining. No, means no. Navajo Nation shud uphold sovereignty. We shud not be chasticizing pple working for NEPA who have been trying to develop comprehensive health study.

L.TSOSIE
the concern is getting areas cleaned up. when u were in there as delegate, nothing was done. only one was Utah.

DANIEL TSO
we spent millions on Radiation Exposure Act.

L.TSOSIE
Those are Grants billboards and pple wanting money. Here we are talking Church Rock and cleanup. So saying, if we don’t do anything, then hazardous stuff stays there. Look at HRI decision and you can beat on chest but court decided. So why Council and committee told us to work with URI. We are asking for study and use for baseline.

NEPA MICHELEE DINEYAZZIE
NEPA already has approved standard and done by scientific means that all fedral agencies recognize especially radiation. All uranium radiation cuases cancer. we do cleanup based on risk of causing cancer. the cleanup at northeast Church Rock is at risk range that is still high and we want risk range to be lower, which would be 1 in a million. the current standard is 1 in a 1,000. NEPA was very on top of everything there and calculations for U.S. don’t take into account cultural and site specific such as livestock and eating entire sheep. so to do in 14 days is not enough time and even to do site specific at Church Rock. so why NEPA willing to use 2.2 and that is also with other companies, such as GE, Chevron.

L.TSOSIE
know not enough time but just asking to sit down and talk and find out if doable.

BETTY ESTADA
good to know NEPA working. unbelieveable that 500 sites and you are going to use this little site to set standards for all those 500. I understand URI cleanup section 17 and navajo has no jurisdiction but jump into section 8 where conduct in-situ uranium mining. yes there are allottees but u shud talk to pple right there. but you are not. we have PNM Mining right here and it will never be the same and the same goes for in-situ uranium mining.

BENJAMIN HOUSE
I read in Navajo Times that Navajo allotees are entering into leases with oil and gas companies and tribe is supporting them. why not give same support to navajo allotees wanting to lease their allotments with uranium companies.

LARRY KING
I might get kicked out but I’m going to say that Subcommittee should respect standards developed by our children here that work for Navajo Environmental Protection AGency. we know what URI will do, they will relax the standards.

ROBERT DODSON
My relatives having been dying of cancer and so I’m going to speak. Go ahead and throw me out. Why are you giving so much respect to URI? Is it because Resources & Development Committe Subcommittee received money from URI?

L.TSOSIE
No bribes!
I share frustration over lack of comprehensive health study but we are tasked to focus on Church Rock. So how do we get to standard? but maybe this is stepping stone. I ask why during the days of Daniel Tso, why this was not funded. It’s 2:34 pm

NEPA FREDA
correct level is 2 times 10 to the minus 4. we have been getting calls from pple that think that their homes built with uranium contaminated material. They will be put on list and there are only two of us.

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