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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency	18-P-0233
i ftA \ Office of Inspector General	August 22,2018
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At a Glance
Why We Did This Review
We conducted this review to
determine whether the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) had a method
for prioritizing cleanup of the
approximately 50 abandoned
uranium mine (AUM) sites on
or near Navajo Nation lands
covered under a special
account established in 2015
totaling approximately
$1 billion; and whether the
EPA has a resource allocation
methodology for the special
account funds that accounts for
estimated cleanup cost,
timeframe for cleanup, and
scope of cleanup for the 50
sites.
Health effects from uranium
exposure can include impacts
to autoimmune and
reproductive functions, high
blood pressure, kidney or lung
damage, and bone cancer.
This report addresses the
following:
• Cleaning up and revitalizing
land.
EPA Needs to Finish Prioritization and
Resource Allocation Methodologies for Abandoned
Uranium Mine Sites on or Near Navajo Lands
Site prioritization will
aid EPA-initiated
actions where there is
imminent danger at
numerous sites in the
same area.
What We Found
The EPA has taken steps to develop a prioritization
methodology for cleaning up AUM sites on or near
Navajo Nation lands that are part of a 2015
settlement with a chemical company, Tronox
Incorporated. In conjunction with Tronox AUM
cleanup stakeholders, the EPA has developed a
system for identifying immediate risks and, where
necessary, has taken the removal actions needed. The EPA has been following
the National Contingency Plan for assigning risk to the sites and is gathering the
data needed to complete prioritization for all Tronox AUM sites covered by the
settlement. The EPA is tracking the estimated cleanup costs, timeframe for
cleanup, and scope of cleanup for some of the Tronox AUM sites where work has
already been conducted. After the prioritization methodology is developed, the
EPA will be able to develop a resource allocation methodology for the Tronox
AUM sites based on estimated cleanup costs, timeframe for cleanup and scope
of cleanup.
Regions 6 and 9 have agreed on a timeline to complete the key activities
necessary to finalize their prioritization methodology. It is critical that the EPA
meet its milestones, including by the end of calendar year 2020, that EPA finalize
the prioritization of Tronox AUM sites. Also, by the end of calendar year 2021, the
EPA has agreed to complete development and implementation of the resource
allocation methodology following the cost analysis of the preferred remedies. The
regions' efforts will help result in the effective use of the Tronox special account
and will help provide continued protection of human health and the environment.
Recommendations and Planned Agency Corrective Actions
We recommend that the Region 6 and 9 Regional Administrators complete the
necessary removal site evaluations and engineering evaluations/cost analyses;
and fully develop and implement prioritization and resource allocation
methodologies for the Tronox AUM sites on or near Navajo Nation lands. The
agency agreed with the recommendations and corrective actions are pending.
Send all inquiries to our public
affairs office at (202) 566-2391
or visit www.epa.gov/oiq.
Listing of OIG reports.

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