Editing Church Rock, New Mexico (section)

==Uranium mining==
{{See also|Church Rock uranium mill spill}}
On July 16, 1979, the dam at a United Nuclear Corporation (based in Virginia) Church Rock uranium mill was breached and spilled 1,100 tons of milled [[uranium]] ore and {{convert|94|e6USgal|m3}} of heavy metal effluent into the Puerco River. This was the largest release of [[radioactive waste]] in U.S. history, but until recently, no epidemiological studies were undertaken on the effects on the population.<ref name=chur>{{cite journal| pmc=1963288 | pmid=17666688 | doi=10.2105/AJPH.2006.103044 | volume=97 | title=The Sequoyah corporation fuels release and the Church Rock spill: unpublicized nuclear releases in American Indian communities | date=September 2007 | journal=Am J Public Health | pages=1595–600 | last1 = Brugge | first1 = D | last2 = Bui | first2 = C| issue=9 }}</ref> With the declining uranium market, two of the mines closed in 1983 and the third closed in February 1986.<ref>Shuey, Chris (1992). "Contaminant Loading on the Puerco River: A Historical Overview", Southwest Research and Information Center Albuquerque, New Mexico, 14 October 1992. {{cite web |url=http://www.sric.org/uranium/PUERCO92.html |title=Puerco River Spill, Historical Overview |access-date=2008-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014224806/http://www.sric.org/uranium/PUERCO92.html |archive-date=2008-10-14 }}</ref>

In 2003 the Church Rock Uranium Monitoring Project was initiated by the Churchrock Chapter of the
[[Navajo Nation]] to assess environmental impacts of abandoned uranium mines and build capacity to conduct community-based research with policy implications.<ref name="Shuey">{{cite web|author=Shuey, Chris|display-authors=et al|date=2007|title=REPORT OF THE CHURCH ROCK URANIUM MONITORING PROJECT 2003-2007, CHURCHROCK CHAPTER, NAVAJO NATION, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTER and NAVAJO EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION|location=Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona), USA|url=http://www.sric.org/uranium/CRUMPReportSummary.pdf|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010095916/http://www.sric.org/uranium/CRUMPReportSummary.pdf|archive-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its May 2007 report found that significant radiation from both natural and mining sources remains in the area. The community is dedicated to remedy the problem as much as possible.<ref name="Shuey"/>

In 2005 the Navajo Nation prohibited any further uranium mining in the nation. In 2008 the US EPA and the Navajo EPA began a five-year plan to identify and ameliorate areas contaminated by uranium mining; their priority has been water sources and structures.<ref name="Fonseca">[http://www.chron.com/news/article/Navajo-woman-helps-prompt-uranium-mine-cleanup-2155858.php Felicia Fonseca, "Navajo woman helps prompt uranium mine cleanup"], Associated Press, carried in ''Houston Chronicle'', 5 September 2011, accessed 5 October 2011</ref>

In 2013 the Churchrock Chapter passed a resolution supporting a demonstration [[in-situ mining]] at Section 8 and 17. The resolution passed with 68 in support 26 opposed and 16 abstained. A minority of community members continue to oppose mining operations, as do some outside residents who reside in other chapters and non-Navajos.<ref name="uranium">[http://www.daily-times.com/four_corners-news/ci_24790246/uranium-project-given-green-light-navajo-nation "Uranium project given green light on Navajo Nation"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726024547/http://www.daily-times.com/four_corners-news/ci_24790246/uranium-project-given-green-light-navajo-nation |date=2014-07-26 }}, Farmington Daily Times, carried in "Farmington Daily Times", 24 December 2013, accessed 16 July 2014</ref><ref name="uranium2">[https://www.facebook.com/carefordine/posts/263927690407255 "Churchrock supports uranium mining"], Gallup Independent, carried in "Gallup Independent", 9 February 2013, accessed 16 July 2014</ref>