Dylan Brown, E&E reporter Published: Friday, July 15, 2016

“The Obama administration announced a deal with the Navajo Nation today to fund cleanup work at 16 abandoned uranium mines, which are part of a toxic legacy on the nation’s largest Native American reservation.

The Justice Department agreed to fund trusts for cleaning up high-priority sites among the hundreds of former uranium operations that dot the Four Corners region reservation. The government funded evaluations of priority sites last year during the first phase of the settlement.

“This second phase agreement takes the next step in ensuring the cleanup of abandoned mines that pose the most significant risks to people’s health and initiates the evaluations of additional mines for future cleanup,” said John Cruden, assistant attorney general for DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. ”

Addressing the legacy of uranium mining on Navajo lands reflects the commitment of the Justice Department and the Obama administration to fairly and honorably resolve the historic grievances of American Indian tribes and build a healthier future for their people,” he said.

Since 2008, a swath of federal agencies has spent more than $100 million working to address the long-standing contamination issues causing elevated rates of radiation-related illnesses on the reservation.

The federal government had a central hand in creating the problem because the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission was the sole buyer of Navajo uranium from World War II until 1966.

Between 1944 and 1986 when the last mine closed, about 4 million tons of uranium ore was mined on tribal lands to help meet demand for atomic weapons and power.

Alexis Strauss, acting administrator for EPA’s Region 9, said the agency was pleased to continue its “vital work” that over the last decade has included field screenings at all 523 mines, stabilization or cleanup work at nine mines, remediation of 47 homes, and safe drinking water to 3,013 families.

Under the settlement, federal funding will cover evaluations at the other 30 of 46 “priority mines” identified by EPA, along with groundwater and surface water contamination studies at two abandoned mines.

The 16 mines involved in the settlement all lack a responsible private party from whom the government can seek compensation.

Separately, the Obama administration reached a $5.15 billion deal in 2014 with Anadarko Petroleum Corp. to clean up dozens of abandoned uranium mines (*E&ENews PM* <http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1059997313>, April 3, 2014).”