STOP URANIUM MINING IN NEW MEXICO |
FAMILY SPIRIT WALK |
UPDATED 5 FEBRUARY 2002
The Next Step in Nuclear New Mexico:
Uranium Mining in Church Rock & Crownpoint
Dear Mayor of MYTOWN, USA,
I/we encourage you to firmly state your support for our community's health by declaring our town a NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE. Living near nuclear radioactive materials is a potentially deadly challenge in itself, and allowing such to be transported through our local environment can pose even higher risks because the transportation vehicles mingle with common traffic.
High Level nuclear waste (a.k.a. spent fuel from nuclear power plants) is the deadliest kind of hazardous waste and therefore has been not transported anywhere (stored on-site) in the USA for decades. This is currently the safest way to deal with the problem until it cools off more in 100 years. The D.o.E. predicts at least 90 accidents once they try to begin shipments to Yucca Mountain. Such high risks are unacceptable. Every exposure to radiation increases our risks for cancer. There's no way to avoid human exposure as uranium is mined, transported, processed into fuel, used to create electricity and plutonium, turned into waste, and transported again. Many workers and families suffer from such exposure. nuclear power is a true threat to community health every step of the way.
Aside from the horrors of potential nuclear accidents nationwide, nuclear power is the most expensive energy source ever. Its true costs to the environment and the country's budget have never been considered. It's the most irresponsible industry in the USA due to governmental policy that power companies do not have to ultimately deal with the waste. The waste will be hazardous for hundreds or thousands of years, yet only the immediate costs are considered in ordinary discussion of nuclear energy.
Our society needs to stop produceing nuclear waste immediately, and stop the nuclear threats to our communities. Please do whatever you can to ensure safety for our town by the prevention of nuclear power and nuclear waste transportation here.
Love,
Me & Me
The proposal to resume in-situ leach uranium mining in Church Rock & Crownpoint is one which would lead to terrible contamination in Northwestern New Mexico. Uranium mining here will contaminate the groundwater of over 10,000 people in surrounding communities with uranium and toxic chemicals. This groundwater is the source of drinking water in this region near Gallup, NM. Uranium is toxic and should never be ingested by humans or any other animals.
Hydro-Resources, Incorporated (HRI) is the company currently intending to resume local uranium mining. If HRI or any other group resumes uranium mining, the drinking water, health, and safety of our communities will be damaged. HRI is the daughter company of Uranium Resources Inc. At a meeting in early October, it was clear that local people DO NOT SUPPORT uranium mining here.
As part of THE ANCIENT WAY FALL FESTIVAL in Gallup at UNM the NDE video was shown to help people understand how nuclear technology is tied to war-making, and we demonstrated that uranium mining leads to war and far-flung violence.
History shows that uranium mining here has harmed the miners and the public. This is true because uranium is toxic and should never be ingested by any method--whereas "in-situ" mining increases uranium content in ground water.
Doctors quoted in the Gallup Independent indicate the forthcoming devastation to Crownpoint should the mining procede.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH URANIUM MINING?
- URANIUM MINING HERE IS A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH for our generation and for our children. Uranium mining contaminates ground water (which we drink) and causes many health problems, some of which are eventually fatal. Cancers including leukemias are some of the results of human contact with uranium and its byproducts.
- EMPLOYEES WORKING FOR MINING COMPANIES WILL BE IN A HIGHLY RISKY ENVIRONMENT. It is not fair that miners will receive relatively low wages (compared to management and company owners), some miners and people drinking the contaminated water will get cancers in less than 30 years, and some will undergo genetic damage so that their future children will suffer from birth defects, genetic defects, and developmental delays, as well as leukemia and other fatal results.
- IT IS ETHICALLY PROBLEMATIC: THE HAZARDS OF URANIUM MINING STRETCH TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AND TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. Because the toxicity of uranium will be spread around when it is transported to other locations, beyond Northwestern New Mexico. any "benefits" (nuclear power, nuclear weapons) are controversial and completely outweighed by the harm the nuclear industry causes to physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. The most immediate health concerns are for the people in direct contact with the uranium during mining, transport, and processing.
Artistic Renderings of Nuclearism Near Gallup, NM :
