COVE WASH WATERSHED ASSESSMENT MESA li The Cove Wash watershed is approximately 47-square miles in area and includes 42 AUMs, 24 of which are Tronox mines, within the Lukachukai Mountains. Year-round water is found in peaks and canyons above 7,000 feet elevation, where springs and seeps emerge. Developed springs and wells are also part of the watershed. Dine College participated in sampling which determined that the watershed has elevated uranium concentrations in surface and ground water around and below the historically mined areas. Legal Agreements and AUM Cleanup Activities 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 included one trust account, the Phase 1 Trust, and was managed by an independent trustee, with USEPA and NNEPA oversight. This settlement provided funds to assess 16 priority mines on the Navajo Nation, including six in the Northern AUM Region. In 2015, assessment work began at these six priority mines: Oakl24/Oakl25, Alongo Mines, NA-0904, NA-0928, Barton 3, and Tsosie 1. The Removal Site Evaluation reports, which provide information needed to determine the extent of contamination at these mines, were completed in 2018. PHASE 2 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 one trust account: the Phase 2 Trust. The Phase 2 Trust is managed by an independent trustee, with USEPA and NNEPA oversight. The Phase 2 Trust provides funds to assess 30 mines on the Navajo Nation (including six mines in the Northern AUM Region) and conduct two water studies, one of which is located at a mine in the Tse Tah area (near Teecnospos and Tolikan Chapters). The Phase 2 Trust also provides funds to clean up, as needed, the 16 mines assessed under the Phase 1 Trust, including the six mines in the Northern AUM Region: Oakl24/Oakl25, Alongo Mines, NA-0904, NA-0928, Barton 3, and Tsosie 1. USEPA, Navajo Superfund, Navajo Abandoned Mine Lands (AML), and Clawson Excavating (Navajo Woman Owned/Small Business) completed the Cove Mesa II response action project. The response action addressed the migration of uranium contaminated soil caused by erosion encroaching on a uranium burial cell and an unreclaimed waste pile located at the Mesa II Mine Site, located in the Cove Chapter. CYPRUS AMAX/WESTERN NUCLEAR SETTLEMENT In 2017, the United States and the Navajo Nation entered into a historic settlement agreement with Cyprus Amax Minerals Company and Western Nuclear, Inc., two companies owned by Freeport-McMoRan. The settlement funds the assessment and cleanup of 94 abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation, including 82 mines in the Northern AUM Region. This settlement addresses almost 20% of the abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. The mines are located in the following chapters: Cove, Red Valley, Shiprock, Teecnospos, Tolikan (Northern AUM Region), Dennehotso, Kayenta, Mexican Water, Oljato (North Central AUM Region), Chilchinbeto (Central AUM Region); and Smith Lake (Eastern AUM Region). Reduce Your Contact with Uranium and Radiation KEEP OUT 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, Ba'ha'tfeid - Doo Ko'ne'na'adaa'da colonoscopies, and other cancer screenings Superfund Process on the Navajo Nation Assessment Access Agreements Resources Surveys fll Decision Making Clean Up Signs and Fences Site Evaluation Engineering Evaluation I Cost Analysis Operations & Maintenance Public Comment Period Action Memorandum Design dKrw Action ©¦ov Long-term O&M 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 Linda Reeves Remedial Project Manager USEPA Region 9 (415) 972-3445 reeves.linda@epa.gov Tronox Jesse Kass Remedial Project Manager USEPA Region 9 (415) 606-8136 kass.jesse@ep a.gov Phase 2 Settlement Elsa Johnson Dariel Yazzie Freyja Knapp Remedial Project Manager USEPA Region 9 (415) 972-3025 knapp.freyja@epa.gov Community Involvement Coordinator Environmental Program Supervisor USEPA Region 9 (415) 947-3552 johnson.elsa@epa.gov USEPA Navajo Abandoned Uranium Mine website: wmv.epa.gov/iiavajo-nation-iiranium-cleaiiup Printed on 50% post-consumer recycled paper - Processed chlorine-free NNEPA Superfund (928) 871-7601 darielyazzie@navajo-nsn.gov <&EPA NAVAJO NATION U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Region 9 • San Francisco, CA • February 2021 NORTHERN ABANDONED URANIUM MINE (AUM) REGION Number of abandoned uranium mines in the Northern AUM Region: 229 Of these 229 mines, funds are available to begin the cleanup process at 127 mines Northern AUM Region includes the following chapters: Aneth, Beclabito, Cove, Lukachukai, Red Mesa, Red Valley, Round Rock, Sanostee, Shiprock, Teecnospos, and Tolikan PRIORITY MINES AND SETTLEMENTS USEPA, in partnership with the Navajo Nation EPA (NNEPA), has identified 523 AUMs on the Navajo Nation. Of these 523 AUMs, 46 mines were identified as "priority mines" based on radiation levels and proximity to homes or potential for water contamination. Funds are available to begin the cleanup process at 127 mines, approximately 55 percent of the mines in the Northern AUM Region, including all 17 priority mines. USEPA continues to look for companies responsible to assess and clean up the remaining mines in this region. USEPA constructed erosion controls at the Mesa II mine to prevent mine waste from entering the Cove watershed. Before erosion control (left), and after erosion control (right). Table 1: Summary of the Northern 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 be/ow "Legal Agreements and AUM Cleanup Activities" for more information on the settlement and trusts listed here. Name of Potentially Responsible Party or Settlement Number of Mines* Superfund Process Status Tronox Settlement Phase 1 Trust (limited to mine assessment) Phase 2 Trust Cyprus Amax Minerals Company (Cyprus Amax) and Western Nuclear, Inc. (Western Nuclear) • 33 mines (three of which are priority mines) • 12 mines (six of which are priority mines, and two of which are selected for a water study) • 82 mines (eight of which are priority mines) • Removal Site Evaluations completed in 2019 for 33 mines • Removal Site Evaluations completed in 2018 for six priority mines • Removal Site Evaluation in progress for 29 mines Total 127 mines (17 of which are priority mines) *One mine claim can include more than one site. Tronox Settlement In 2014, the United States entered into a historic legal settlement that provides almost $1 billion to investigate and clean up approximately 50 AUMs on or near the Navajo Nation that were operated by Kerr-McGee Corporation and its successor, Tronox. 32 mines in the Cove/ Lukachukai/Round Rock area and two mines are in the Tse Tah area in the Northern AUM Region. REMOVAL SITE EVALUATIONS In 2018-2019, USEPA conducted RSEs at 33 mines and nearby areas. This work involved radiation measurements and collecting laboratory samples. The results will be used in EE/CA documents to help decide how the sites are cleaned up. COVE TRANSFER STATION In 2017, USEPA completed construction activities to stop surface erosion at the former Cove Transfer Station #1 site that used to stage mining materials for transfer. The transfer station is located in the Cove Chapter on the Navajo Nation in eastern Arizona. COVE MESA V HAUL SHAFT BARRICADE USEPA and the Navajo Nation were concerned that unrestricted access to Mesa V poses risk to the public from radon gas released into the environment from exposed uranium ore and waste. In 2019, USEPA, in partnership with the Navajo Nation Abandoned Mine Lands Program, constructed a wire mesh barricade around the opening of the Mesa V Haul Shaft. The Tronox Mesa V Haul Shaft is an opening used by the mining company to transport uranium ore from the mine site on top of the Mesa to haul trucks at the opening below. ------- Source: The source of the image is ESRI, used by the EPA with ESRI's permission. Aneth Red Mesa Mexican Water Teecnospos Beda bi to S wee twa te r/Tolika n Shi pro ck Cove Navajo Nation Abandoned Uranium Mines Round Rock Sanostee/Tsealnaozt'ii Date: August 11, 2020 Mines Cyprus Amax # Troriox Phase 1 Trust 9 Currently Unfunded Phase 2 Trust £) Phase 2 Trust Water Study Abandoned Uranium Mines and Current Settlements Navajo Nation Northern AUM Sites Chapter House Highway Road US State \ SE2 At , ------- |