EPA Tse Tah Area Mines Updates U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Region 9 • San Francisco, CA • March 2019 Tse Tah is in the Northern Abandoned Uranium Mine (AUM) Region and includes the following chapters: Sweetwater, Teec Nos Pos, and Red Mesa Background Funds are available to assess and clean up 31 abandoned uranium mines in Tse Tah, 81 percent of the mines in Tse Tah. Funds are also available to assess and clean up 11 mines near Tse Tah (see Map A for locations). Funds to assess and clean up the mines are provided by: • two legal settlements between Navajo Nation and the United States (more information below); • a legal settlement with Cyprus Amax Minerals Company (Cyprus Amax); • the Tronox legal settlement for mines operated by Kerr-McGee Corporation. Uranium was mined in the Tse Tah area from the 1940s to 1960s. Beginning in the 1990s, the Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Program addressed physical hazards at these mines. Under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), detailed investigations, or Removal Site Evaluations (RSEs), are being conducted at 24 funded mines. Phase 1 Trustee’s team of experts assessing soil samples at Tse Tah abandoned uranium mine. Settlement Name Number of Funded Mines Superfund Process Status In Tse Tah Near Tse Tah Phase 1 and Phase 2 Settlements (limited to mine cleanups, as needed) 3 1 Removal Site Evaluations (RSEs) for four Trustee 1 mines completed in October 2018 Cyprus Amax 27 9 RSEs for 18 mines to be completed in late 2019 Tronox 1 1 RSEs for two mines to be completed in late 2019 Total 31 11 Legal Agreements and the Superfund Cleanup Process Phase 1 and Phase 2 Trusts Four of the mines being assessed in and near Tse Tah are among 16 mines being assessed under the “Phase 1” legal settlement between the Navajo Nation and the United States. Sadie Hoskie is the trustee implementing the Phase 1 Trust. e results of the Phase 1 assessments in the Tse Tah area are included in RSEs and were shared with the community in fall 2018. e mines assessed by the Phase 1 Trustee will be cleaned up using funds provided for in the Phase 2 PO Trust, as part of the Phase 2 Settlement. A trustee for this work has not yet been selected. Cyprus Amax Minerals Company Settlement In 2017, the United States and the Navajo Nation entered into a historic settlement agreement with Freeport-McMoRan subsidiaries Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear Inc. e settlement funds the assessment and cleanup of 94 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, including 36 mines in and near Tse Tah. Cyprus Amax is currently finishing detailed investigations (RSEs) at 18 of these mines in Tse Tah. Tronox Settlement In 2015, the United States entered into a historic legal settlement that provides almost $1 billion to investigate and clean up approximately 50 abandoned uranium mines on or near Navajo Nation that were operated by Kerr-McGee and its successor, Tronox. Two of these mines are in or near Tse Tah.
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EPA Tse Tah Area Mines UpdatesU . S . E n v i r o n m e n t a l P r o t e c t i o n A g e n c y • R e g i o n 9 • S a n F r a n c i s c o , C A • M a r c h 2 0 1 9
Tse Tah is in the Northern Abandoned Uranium Mine (AUM) Regionand includes the following chapters: Sweetwater, Teec Nos Pos, and Red Mesa
BackgroundFunds are available to assess and clean up 31 abandoned uranium mines in Tse Tah, 81 percent of the mines in Tse Tah. Funds are also available to assess and clean up 11 mines near Tse Tah (see Map A for locations).
Funds to assess and clean up the mines are provided by:
• two legal settlements between Navajo Nation and the United States(more information below);
• a legal settlement with Cyprus Amax Minerals Company (Cyprus Amax);
• the Tronox legal settlement for mines operated by Kerr-McGee Corporation.
Uranium was mined in the Tse Tah area from the 1940s to 1960s. Beginning in the 1990s, the Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Program addressed physical hazards at these mines. Under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), detailed investigations, or Removal Site Evaluations (RSEs), are being conducted at 24 funded mines.
Phase 1 Trustee’s team of experts assessing soil samples at Tse Tah abandoned uranium mine.
Settlement Name Number of Funded Mines
Superfund Process StatusIn Tse Tah Near Tse Tah
Phase 1 and Phase 2 Settlements(limited to mine cleanups, as needed)
3 1 Removal Site Evaluations (RSEs) for four Trustee 1 mines completed in October 2018
Cyprus Amax 27 9 RSEs for 18 mines to be completed in late 2019
Tronox 1 1 RSEs for two mines to be completed in late 2019
Total 31 11
Legal Agreements and the Superfund Cleanup Process
Phase 1 and Phase 2 Trusts
Four of the mines being assessed in and near Tse Tah are among 16 mines being assessed under the “Phase 1” legal settlement between the Navajo Nation and the United States. Sadie Hoskie is the trustee implementing the Phase 1 Trust. The results of the Phase 1 assessments in the Tse Tah area are included in RSEs and were shared with the community in fall 2018.
The mines assessed by the Phase 1 Trustee will be cleaned up using funds provided for in the Phase 2 PO Trust, as part of the Phase 2 Settlement. A trustee for this work has not yet been selected.
Cyprus Amax Minerals Company Settlement
In 2017, the United States and the Navajo Nation entered into a historic settlement agreement with Freeport-McMoRan subsidiaries Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear Inc. The settlement funds the assessment and cleanup of 94 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, including 36 mines in and near Tse Tah. Cyprus Amax is currently finishing detailed investigations (RSEs) at 18 of these mines in Tse Tah.
Tronox Settlement
In 2015, the United States entered into a historic legal settlement that provides almost $1 billion to investigate and clean up approximately 50 abandoned uranium mines on or near Navajo Nation that were operated by Kerr-McGee and its successor, Tronox. Two of these mines are in or near Tse Tah.
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Navajo Nation - Tse TahAbandoned Uranium Mine Sites and Current Settlements
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Navajo NationAll Abandoned Uranium Mine Sites
March 15, 2018
Melvin Benally No. 1 CBW-MC Mine
What Has Been Done?• Legal settlements have been reached to provide funds to
assess, evaluate, design and clean up 42 mines.
• USEPA met with chapter officials, hosted twoinformational meetings for the Tse Tah communities,and began developing a Community Involvement Plan.
• The Phase 1 Trustee completed RSEs for four mines,shared results with the communities and heardcomments on October 23, 2018.
What is Happening Now?• USEPA will have a Community Involvement Plan by
Spring 2019.
• Cyprus Amax is finishing field work to investigate 18 mines.
• USEPA is conducting field work to investigate two minesfunded by the Tronox settlement.
• A community Liaison will be hired for Tse Tah area.
What Happens Next?• In early 2019, USEPA will finalize and implement the
Community Involvement Plan and share it with thecommunity.
• Cyprus Amax will complete investigations at 5 mines in2018 and 13 mines in 2019.
• USEPA will complete investigations at two Tronox mines.
• Once RSE reports are complete:
➢ the risk the mines pose to people and the environmentwill be assessed;
➢ cleanup alternatives will be evaluated;➢ a final cleanup alternative will be selected; and➢ the mines will be cleaned up.
• USEPA will continue to investigate companiesresponsible for all other mines not currently funded.
Community Involvement and planning for a site’s future are ongoing throughout the process
Coordination with the Navajo Nation government including NNEPA, Navajo AML, and the Diné Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission
Assessment Decision Making Cleanup
Superfund Process on the Navajo Nation
RemovalDesign
RemovalAction
Removal SiteEvaluation
PublicComment
Period
ActionMemorandum
g gg g g gg
Engineering Evaluation /
Cost Analysis
g
AccessAgreements
ResourcesSurveys
Signs andFences
Community Involvement and planning for a site’s future are ongoing throughout the process
Coordination with the Navajo Nation government including NNEPA, Navajo AML, and the Diné Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission
Assessment Decision Making Clean Up
Superfund Process on the Navajo Nation
RemovalDesign
RemovalAction
Removal SiteEvaluation
PublicComment
Period
ActionMemorandum
g gg g g gg
Engineering Evaluation /
Cost Analysis
g
AccessAgreements
ResourcesSurveys
Signs andFences
NO AT MINESBuilding
GatheringPlayingCorralsDigging
DANGER
Ba’ha’dzid - Doo Ko’ne’na’adaa’da
Contact Navajo Superfund Program for Information at 1-800-314-1846
or USEPA at 1-800-231-3075
KEEP OUT
Reduce Your Contact with Uranium and Radiation
Steps to keep yourself safe:• Stay away from abandoned mines and mills• Find out if your home is a contaminated structure• Use regulated water for human needs• Never use unregulated water for human needs –
even if it looks OK
• Use good water hauling practices to keep your waterclean
• Get regular cancer screenings, like pap tests,mammograms, colonoscopies, and other cancerscreenings
For More InformationLinda Reeves Remedial Project Manager(Phase 1 Trust Mines)USEPA Region 9(415) 972 – [email protected]
Freyja Knapp Remedial Project Manager(Phase 1 Trust Mines)USEPA Region 9(415) 972 – [email protected]
Elsa JohnsonCommunity Involvement Coordinator(All Tse Tah Mines)USEPA Region 9(480) 250 – [email protected]
Dariel YazzieEnvironmental Program Supervisor NNEPA Superfund Program (928) 871 – [email protected]
Navajo Nation Abandoned Uranium Mines webpage: https://www.epa.gov/navajo-nation-uranium-cleanup
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