Navajos sue to stop uranium mine in New Mexico

A Navajo group opposed to uranium development has filed a lawsuit aimed at halting a proposed mine in northwest New Mexico.

Eastern Navajo Dine Against Uranium Mining asked the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse orders and a license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Hydro Resources Inc. wants to mine uranium near Church Rock.

The Environmental Protection Agency last week ruled that a 160-acre parcel near Church Rock is Indian Country. That would mean Hydro has to seek a federal permit to mine uranium.

The Navajo Nation has banned uranium mining on reservation lands.

Get the Story:
Navajos file petition against uranium mining in northwest New Mexico (AP 2/12)
pwpwd
EPA: N.M. parcel is Indian Country (AP 2/9)

Relevant Links:
Indigenous World Uranium Summit 2006 - http://www.sric.org/uraniumsummit
Eastern Navajo Dine Against Uranium Mining - http://www.endaum.org

Related Stories:
Indigenous uranium summit at Navajo Nation (11/29)
Editorial: Clean up uranium on Navajo Nation (11/27)
LA Times series on Navajo Nation uranium mining (11/22)
LA Times series on Navajo Nation uranium mining (11/21)
Onondaga Nation makes big filing in land claim suit (11/20)
Navajo Nation hosts indigenous uranium summit (11/13)
Navajo Nation to allow uranium waste transport (10/25)
Navajo group opposes return of uranium mining (09/28)
Navajo Nation wins Nuclear-Free Future Award (09/28)
Judge rules on uranium mining at Navajo sites (07/27)
Mining an issue as Navajo Nation Council meets (04/20)
Nuclear panel halts uranium mining at Navajo sites (03/03)