Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation extends into Utah, Arizona and New Mexico whilst covering 27,000 square miles of land. The reservation is home to over a dozen national monuments and historical sites.
Image courtesy of: gap.uidaho.edu
Information courtesy of: discovernavajo.com/
Image courtesy of: gap.uidaho.edu
Information courtesy of: discovernavajo.com/
Uranium Mining
U.S. uranium mining mainly occurred in the southwestern part of the country. This mining has led to many Native Americans, such as the Navajo, obtaining jobs in the mines and mills. These were some of the closest jobs for the Navajo men, who were grateful to be employed and have better wages.
Image courtesy of: serc.carleton.edu
Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Image courtesy of: serc.carleton.edu
Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Effects on the Navajo Nation
Uranium mining has directly contaminated the water for many people in the Navajo Nation. Most of the people got their water from wells, which wound up collecting more water from rain. This rain collected the contaminants from the uranium and brought it into the water. This water would be blocked off from the Navajo people with signs warning of the safety issues.
Uranium mining was also associated with higher rates of lung cancer because of the radon in the mines. Miners were warned about the risks, but they were definitely downplayed. Silicosis and other respiratory illnesses were also causing deaths in uranium miners at rates approaching lung cancer.
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Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Uranium mining was also associated with higher rates of lung cancer because of the radon in the mines. Miners were warned about the risks, but they were definitely downplayed. Silicosis and other respiratory illnesses were also causing deaths in uranium miners at rates approaching lung cancer.
Image courtesy of: environmentaljusticefnst433.wordpress.com
Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
RECA
In 1990, the U.S. Congress passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to accept responsibility for the mistreatment of the miners and make provisions to provide financial compensation to those effected in a serious manner. This statute was designed to be a lower cost alternative to litigation in the cases against the United States. It covers all states where uranium was mined and processed, as well as specified counties in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, where significant fallout from the atmospheric nuclear testing was measured.
Image courtesy of: justice.gov
Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and justice.gov
Image courtesy of: justice.gov
Information courtesy of: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and justice.gov