Navajo Community Left in the Shadows: The Hidden Dangers of Uranium Transport

The phrase “Haul No” is painted alongside other murals on an abandoned building near Grey Mountain, Arizona. The murals illustrate various aspects of Navajo life, focusing on resistance against mining and water protection. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror

Candis Yazzie, who grew up in Cameron, recalls the ongoing discussions about uranium in her community on the western edge of the Navajo Nation. She first encountered the dangers of uranium through educational comic books about superhero characters “Gamma Goat” and “Rad Rabbit.” These comics, printed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, were concise tools for engaging local school children, teaching them to recognize and avoid abandoned uranium mines.

Yazzie emphasizes the importance of this education, noting that even preschoolers are learning about uranium. “How many kids have to go through this?” she questions, reflecting on the lasting impact of these lessons on generations of Navajo children. Her own teen, now 16, received the same comic education upon starting school.

The narrative of these comic books includes a sheep stumbling into an abandoned uranium pit, rescued by Gamma Goat, which identifies the danger. For Yazzie, growing up near an abandoned mine, this style of learning was crucial. “I had lived less than half a mile from one,” she recounts, revealing her realization of the mine’s threat only after engaging with these educational materials.

Despite ongoing educational efforts, Yazzie points out contradictions in safety measures: while community members are taught to avoid uranium, ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine is now being transported through their land. The haul route, spanning approximately 320 miles, includes a significant 174 miles traversing Navajo territory. Daily, up to ten trucks carrying uranium ore will travel on major routes through these communities.

Energy Fuels, Inc., which owns the Pinyon Plain Mine, is at the center of this controversy. Indigenous communities along the route, which includes ancestral lands of various tribes, voice deep-seated concerns based on a disturbing history with uranium mining, including contamination and abandonment of over 500 mines scattered across the Navajo Nation.

Cameron’s proximity to the transportation route has raised alarm for residents like Yazzie. “They’ve lived with the consequences of uranium for decades,” she states, emphasizing a legacy of health concerns tied to mining activities.

Meanwhile, Mexican Water, a community near the Utah border, is the last Navajo stop before the trucks exit the Nation. President of the Mexican Water Chapter House, Martha Saggboy, expresses fear over the transportation method. She witnessed inadequately covered uranium loads on trucks that risk exposure to the community. “It’s concerning,” she said, especially since their community lacks local medical services in case of an emergency.

Saggboy and her community have formally opposed the transport of uranium through their lands. They cite insufficient information and direct consultation regarding the haul route’s implications for their safety and wellbeing. “They haven’t come to talk to us,” she insists, critiquing the failure of the mining company and the Navajo Nation government to establish a direct dialogue with affected residents.

This long-standing neglect resonates in the testimonies of local leaders who stress the need for emergency preparedness. Although an amendment has been made to Navajo legislation, requiring companies to notify the tribe about any radioactive transport, the lack of compliance enforcement raises doubts about its effectiveness.

Local officials, including Council Delegate Curtis Yanito, highlight the critical absence of an emergency response plan specifically addressing uranium transport. He argues for more proactive measures, stating, “This accident is going to happen.” Yanito’s concern echoes the views of many community leaders, who feel that robust regulations and infrastructure must be established to protect residents from potential hazards linked to uranium transportation.

As discussions continue around the complicated intersection of industry, governance, and public health, the Navajo Nation faces a pressing need for transparency and community engagement in the decision-making processes related to uranium mining and transport.