Gathering will mark 45 years since the largest radioactive release in U.S. history hit New Mexico

A sign with a skull and crossbones that translates as ‘No uranium’ in the Diné language warns visitors near the Church Rock mining site in Navajo Nation. (Photo by Eli Cahan / Capital & Main)

It’s been 45 years since the largest radioactive release in U.S. history occurred at Church Rock New Mexico. Members of the Navajo Nation will gather on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the uranium spill.

On July 16th, 1979, a dam ruptured and released more than a thousand tons of radioactive waste and nearly 95 million gallons of toxic radioactive wastewater spilled into the nearby Rio Puerco and surrounding Navajo Nation lands.

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“And the folks that live in the area tell stories about being out herding their sheep and seeing this wave of green liquid come their way, you know, they weren’t warned about it, and many of them waded in it to get their livestock out and ended up with sores on their legs,” said Susan Gordon, coordinator for the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment , which she is helping organize the commemoration event.

She said the contaminants flowed downstream through Gallup and across nine Navajo chapters.

Radiation from the spill was detected as far as 80 miles downstream. As a result, communities around the spill have experienced health problems associated with radiation exposure.

Gordon said the mining company, United Nuclear Corp. did little to clean up the radioactive waste.

“They sent a handful of people out with shovels and buckets to try to gather up this green sludge that was all through there. And that’s it. That’s all that was ever done,” Gordon said.

According to Stanford University , the company dug new drinking wells and removed about 1% of the estimated total spill material. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission permitted the company to resume operations five months later. The mine was abandoned in 1982.

The Church Rock spill is the third largest radioactive waste release globally, after the Fukushima disaster and the Chernobyl meltdown.

Gordon said they’re hoping to continue to educate people.

“But also to bring pressure on the National Institute of Health and our congressional delegation to provide more money for cleanup and for health research,” she said.

The ceremony will have an opening prayer and a walk to the spill site. Speakers will include former uranium worker Larry King, and scientists discussing the impact of the radiation.

Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.

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