interim removal activities, USEPA will be working with the potentially responsible
parties on developing an EE/CA to determine the risk at the site and evaluate all
alternatives to clean up the site.
Chevron USA, Inc. (Mariano Lake Mine)
In 2013, Chevron USA, Inc. completed a Removal Site Evaluation which
determined that there is approximately 250,000 cubic yards of mine waste. In 2017,
Chevron entered into a settlement agreement with USEPA to perform an EE/CA
report to evaluate potential options to clean up the mine sites. In 2019, USEPA will
present the cleanup options evaluated in the EE/CA to the community.
United Nuclear Corporation (Northeast Church Rock Mine)
To date, USEPA has overseen removal of approximately 150,000 cubic yards
of contaminated soil at Northeast Church Rock Mine (NECR). UNC/General
Electric (UNC/GE) completed the design for the larger mine site cleanup under
a settlement agreement with USEPA. USEPA, with input from NNEPA, New
Mexico Environmental Department, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, and a representative from the local community assisted
by USEPAs Technical Assistance Services for Communities contractor, oversaw the
design for the NECR site cleanup and disposal facility at the United Nuclear Cor-
poration Mill Site. In 2018, UNC/GE submitted a request for a license amendment
(which includes the completed design) to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
PHASE 1 SETTLEMENT
In 2015, the Navajo Nation and the United States entered into a $13.2 million
settlement called the Phase 1 Settlement. The Phase 1 Settlement includes one
trust account, the Phase 1 Trust, and is managed by an independent trustee, with
USEPA and NNEPA oversight. This settlement provides funds to assess 16 priority
mines on the Navajo Nation, including three mines in the Eastern AUM Region.
In 2015, assessment work began at these priority mines: Eunice Becenti, Standing
Rock, and Section 26. The Removal Site Evaluation reports, which provide
information needed to determine the extent of contamination at these mines, were
completed in 2018.
PHASE 2 TRUST SETTLEMENT
In 2016, the Navajo Nation and the United States entered into an additional legal
settlement called the Phase 2 Settlement. The Phase 2 Settlement includes two
trust accounts: the Phase 2 Removal Site Evaluation (RSE) Trust and the Phase 2
Priority Orphan (PO) Trust. The Phase 2 trusts will be managed by independent
trustees, with USEPA and NNEPA oversight. The Phase 2 trusts will be managed
by independent trustees, with USEPA and NNEPA oversight. The Phase 2 RSE
Trust will provide funds to assess 30 mines on the Navajo Nation and conduct two
water studies. The Phase 2 PO Trust will provide funds to clean up the 16 mines
assessed under Phase 1 Trust, as needed, including the three in the Eastern AUM
Region: Eunice Becenti, Standing Rock, and Section 26.
Tronox Settlement
In 2014, the United States entered into a historic legal settlement providing almost
$1 billion to investigate and cleanup approximately 50 abandoned uranium mines on
or near the Navajo Nation operated by Kerr-McGee Corporation and its successor,
Tronox. There are eight of these mines in the Eastern AUM Region.
TRONOX (QUIVIRA MINES)
The investigations at the Quivira mines were completed in 2012. Also in 2012,
approximately 17,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was excavated from along
a road in the community and placed on the main mine site and covered with clean
soil for temporary storage pending selection of a final remedy for the site. An
additional 10,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil was excavated from around five
ventilation shafts near the community in 2017 and also stored on the main mine
site. The cover on the mine site was repaired in 2012 and again in 2017. USEPA is
currently analyzing options to address the waste pile and will share these options,
which will be documented in an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis report,
with the community in 2019.
TRONOX EASTERN AUM
There are five other Tronox abandoned uranium mines in the Eastern AUM Region.
A Removal Site Evaluation report has been completed at one of these mines and
field work for the other four mines were completed in 2018. A removal action at
one of the mines was completed which included moving 30,000 cubic yards of
uranium mine waste. USEPA also installed erosion controls and fenced the area.
Reduce Your Contact with Uranium and Radiation
KEEP OUT
Ba'ha'dzid - Doo Ko'ne'na'adaa'da
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 water clean
•	Get regular cancer screenings, like pap tests,
mammograms, colonoscopies, and other cancer screenings
Superfund Process on the Navajo Nation
Assessment
Decision Making
Clean Up
Access
Agreements
Resources
Surveys
I
1.
P
IQ =
iH =
Signs and
Fences
Removal Site
Evaluation
Engineering
Evaluation /
Cost Analysis
Public
Comment
Period
Action
Memorandum
Removal
Design
0"0V
Removal
Action

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 Dine Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission
| For More Information |
Jacob Phipps
Priscilla Tom
Dariel Yazzie
Remedial Project Manager
Community Involvement Coordinator
Environmental Program Supervisor
USEPA Region 9
USEPA Region 9
NNEPA Superfund
(415) 654-2512
(505) 240-0093
(928) 871-7601
phipps.jacob@epa.gov
tom.priscilla@epa.gov
darielyazzie@navajo-nsn.gov
USEPA Eastern Abandoned Uranium Mine webpage: www.epa.gov/navajo-nation
uranium-cleanup/eastern-abandoned-uranium-mine-region
Prin ted on 50% post-consumer recycled paper
^mW Processed chlorine-free
&ERA NAVAJO NATION
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Region 9 • San Francisco, CA • April 2019
EASTERN ABANDONED URANIUM MINE (AUM) REGION
Number of abandoned uranium mines in the Eastern AUM Region: 86
Of these 86 mines, funds are available to begin the cleanup process at 22 mines
Eastern AUM Region includes the following Chapters:
Smith Lake, Standing Rock, Mariano Lake, Coyote Canyon, Baca/Prewitt, Casamero Lake, Nahodishgish, and Church Rock
PRIORITY MINES AND SETTLEMENTS
USEPA, in partnership with Navajo Nation EPA (NNEPA), has identified the
523 AUMs on Navajo Nation. Of these 523 AUMs, 46 mines were identified as
"priority mines" based on radiation levels, proximity to homes, and potential
for water contamination.
Funds are available to begin the assessment and cleanup process at 22 mines,
approximately 26% of the mines in the Eastern AUM Region, including 11 of
the 13 priority mines. USEPA continues to look for companies responsible to
assess and clean up the remaining mines in this region.
Table 1: Summary of the Eastern AUM Region identifying the name of the potentially responsible party or trust responsible for mine cleanups, the number of
mines, and the status in the Superfund process.
See section below "Legal Agreements and AUM Cleanup Activities" for more information on the settlements.
Name of Potentially Responsible Party or Settlement
Number of Mines*
Superfund Process Status
Western Nuclear, Inc.
• Two mines
(one of which is a priority mine)
• Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis will be
presented to the public in 2019
Homestake Mining Company
• Four mines
(two of which are priority mines)
• Draft Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis will be
submitted in Fall of 2019
BNSF Railway Company
• Three mines (two of which are priority mines)
• Time-critical removal action in progress
Chevron USA, Inc.
• One priority mine
• Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis will be
presented to the public in 2019
United Nuclear Corporation
• One priority mine
• Completed design submitted to NRC as part of the
UNC Mill Site license amendment request in 2018
Tronox
* Eight mines
(one of which is a priority mine)
• Removal Site Evaluations have been completed
at four mines and the field work at the remaining
mines were completed in 2018
Phase 1 Trust (limited to mine assessments)
Phase 2 PO Mine Trust (limited to mine cleanups, as needed)
• Three priority mines
• Removal Site Evaluation reports were completed
in 2018
Total
22 mines (11 of which are priority mines)
*One mine claim can include more than one site.
Legal Agreements and AUM Cleanup Activities
Western Nuclear, Inc. (Ruby Mines)
The two Ruby Mines have a combined total of approximately 200,000 cubic yards
of mine waste containing radium and uranium at levels that could pose a health
risk. In 2015, Western Nuclear, Inc., the potentially responsible party, completed
Removal Site Evaluation reports that provided information needed to determine
the extent of contamination at these mines.
In 2016, Western Nuclear, Inc. entered into a settlement agreement with USEPA
to perform an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) report to evaluate
potential options to clean up the mine sites. In 2019, USEPA will present the
cleanup options evaluated in the EE/CA to the community.
Arrow Indian Contractors, a USEPA contractor, removes 10,000 cubic yards of
contaminated soil at the Quivira mine site.
Homestake Mining Company (Mac and Black Jack Mines)
The four mine sites have a combined total of approximately 700,000 cubic yards
of mine waste. In 2014, Homestake Mining Company entered into a settlement
agreement with USEPA to assess four abandoned uranium mines, two of which
are priority mines. In 2018, the Removal Site Evaluation reports on the four mines
were completed. Homestake is currently working with USEPA to identify and
evaluate all alternative potential cleanup options and draft an EE/CA.
BNSF
In 2015, USEPA released a Removal Site Assessment report that described the
different levels of contamination at the site. In 2017, BNSF entered into an admin-
istrative on consent to perform interim removal activities designed to protect
human health and the environment and will be complete in 2019. Following the

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Navajo Nation
Phase 1 Trust Mines
Tronox Mines
United Nuclear Corp. Mine
Eastern Abandoned	Uranium Mine Region
Homestake Mines	# BNSF Mines w Chapter Houses
Chevron Mine	• All Other Mines
• Western Nuclear Mines	H Priority Mines
A EPA
Region 9 GIS Center
SFD1803198.3 Jan 12, 2018

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