"This is a seismic shift in policy for Indigenous communities," said Eric Jantz, an attorney for the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. The decision reflects a significant move towards addressing the long-standing environmental issues faced by these communities due to historical uranium mining, setting a precedent for further actions in similar circumstances.
"I feel like our community has finally had a win," Keyanna said, emphasizing the emotional relief and hope that the removal of the radioactive waste brings. This significant step is seen as a path towards healing for the Diné families who have struggled with the consequences of uranium mining for decades.
Companies extracted an estimated 30 million tons of uranium ore on or near the Navajo Nation from 1944 to 1986. The leftover waste has placed immense strain on the environment and health of the Diné people, with ongoing contamination from the hundreds of abandoned mines continuing to affect their well-being.
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