AEPA ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SETTLEMENTS ON THE NAVAJO NATION U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has entered into enforcement agreements and settlements valued at over $ 1.7 billion to reduce the highest risks of radiation exposure to the Navajo people from abandoned uranium mines (AUMs), As a result, funds are available to begin the assessment and cleanup process at 219 of the 523 abandoned uranium mines. The settlements are part of a larger strategy to address AUMs on and near the Navajo Nation. The table below provides information on the separate enforcement agreements and settlements to address abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. San Francisco, C A Tronox 42 mines Over $1.7 billion is now available to begin the assessment and cleanup process at 219 mines, about 40% of the abandoned uranium mines on the Navajo Nation. April 2018 ¦ Cyprus Amax & Western Nuclear 94 mines Private companies 37 mines Phase 1 Settlement 16 mines Phase 2 Settlement 30 mines Tronox Settlement Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear Consent Decree (Settlement) When Tronox, a successor to Kerr -McGee, filed for bankruptcy in 2009, USEPA and the Navajo Nation, among others, filed claims and received settlements in the bankruptcy. Hie United States, on behalf of USEPA and other agencies, then filed a lawsuit against Anadarko, another successor of Kerr-McGee, seeking additional funding for the AUMs. The United States and others involved ultimately achieved a $5 billion national settlement in 2014, of which USEPA received almost $900 million for cleanup of more than 50 AUMs associated with Kerr-McGee including the 42 mines on or near the Navajo Nation. In addition, USEPA received close to $90 million for the Quivira mine. The Navajo Nation received $44 million. The funds allocated to USEPA are mandated by the court to be spent by USEPA to address contamination at the Navajo Nation AUMs. The United States on behalf of USEPA and other federal agencies entered into a historic settlement with Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear in 2017 for the cleanup of 94 mines on the Navajo Nation. The settlement requires Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear to perform the work. Private parties typically hire contractors to do the work for them. The United States will pay approximately half of all costs, including USEPA and the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency oversight costs, through a trust funded at $335 million. Cyprus Amax and Western Nuclear will fund the other half of the work. This settlement has an estimated value of $600 million. Enforcement Agreements with private companies1 1 Babbitt Ranches, BNSF, Chevron, El Paso Natural Gas, Homestake, United Nuclear Corporation, EnPro Holdings USEPA has entered into enforcement agreements with seven parties to assess contamination or take other removal actions at 37 AUMs, and to install interim safety measures such as fencing and signage. Private parties typically hire contractors to do the work for them. Each agreement varies in scope and dollar amount for the work, but USEPA intends to follow up with agreements for cleanup as necessary. USEPA funds the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency oversight of these agreements via grants. Ongoing efforts include identifying the companies responsible for AUMs in this region and engaging them to assess and clean up the mines. Phase 1 Phase 2 Settlement Settlement The United States and the Navajo Nation reached an agreement for the United States to fund assessment of 16 priority AUMs on the Navajo Nation. The United States funded a trust in the amount of $13 million in 2015. A trustee administers the trust by hiring contractors to perform the work. The agreement provides for payment of USEPA and the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency oversight costs. Both agencies received an initial amount of $400 thousand. The United States and the Navajo Nation reached a second agreement in 2016 for the United States to fund another trust for cleanup of the 16 priority mines assessed under the first agreement, and to evaluate 30 more AUMs located across the Navajo Nation. The trust will also fund groundwater and surface water studies at two mines. The trust will be administered by a trustee, who typically will hire contractors to perform the work. The agreement provides for payment of USEPA and the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency oversight costs. The trust has been initially funded for over $8.5 million. ------- a> c a> > o o LT)Z * :* ;» /r a> c c 1- £ w LU c o o £ 2 1 in o * o CO fSttlt? I * «- "re > ,v# t» a> £ c #t j c a) V) a> § c o ¦*-> cs > a) J K a)x a> G£ a> A cr 5. LL Ui o c*Ti X 7N J ------- |