$220 Million Available for Small Businesses to Perform Uranium Mine Cleanup

Navajo Nation citizens have protested uranium mines for years.

Published April 19, 2019

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — On Thursday, Navajo Nation Council leadership commends the announcement by U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Rep. Ben Ray Luján, and the Environmental Protection Agency to award uranium mine remediation contracts over a five-year period valued at up to $220 million for sites on or near the Navajo Nation. EPA Region 9 is soliciting proposals exclusively from small businesses to address abandoned mines response and construction services.

In January, the Navajo Nation Council Naabik’íyáti’ Committee passed resolutions NABIJA-04-19 and NABIJA-03-19, both of which identify radiation and uranium exposure issues as top priorities of the nation in the states of New Mexico and Arizona.

“The Navajo Nation and the Navajo people sacrificed greatly to add to the economy of the Atomic Age,” stated Delegate Daniel Tso (Baca/Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Counselor, Littlewater, Ojo Encino, Pueblo Pintado, Torreon, Whitehorse Lake), chair of the Council’s Health, Education, and Human Services Committee. “Our New Mexico Congressional leaders greatly understand the human, water, and environmental impacts of uranium mining. I extend much gratitude to our leaders for opening this opportunity to small businesses.”

“The Resources and Development Committee identified the clean-up of the Nation’s hundreds of abandoned uranium mines as a top priority recently,” said Delegate Rickie Nez (Nenahnezad, Newcomb, San Juan, T’iis Tsoh Sikaad, Tse’Daa’Kaan, Upper Fruitland), who chairs the committee. “As a Navajo New Mexico citizen, I am very grateful for our congressional delegation’s leadership on this top priority of the Nation.”

“The leadership of Senator Udall, Senator Heinrich, and Representative Luján on uranium issues is valued by the Council and the Navajo people,” stated Council Speaker Seth Damon (Bááháálí, Chichiltah, Manuelito, Tsé Lichíí’, Rock Springs, Tsayatoh). “They have fought to right the tainted legacy of uranium mining on Navajo, accelerate the rate of mine clean up, and expand the eligibility of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act for the benefit of Navajo citizens. Working together, we can accomplish great things and I look forward to continuing to resolve uranium issues for the benefit of our mutual citizens.”

Proposals are due May 28, 2019. Please visit www.fedconnect.net, click “Public Opportunities,” and search for Reference Number 68HE0918R0014 to obtain the Request for Proposals.