The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded Tetra Tech the second Navajo Area Abandoned Uranium Mines Response, Assessment, and Evaluation Services (RAES) contract, worth $65 million, to address risks to public health and the environment from former mines on Navajo land.
Under this contract, Tetra Tech will focus on providing technical support to EPA through all stages of work addressing abandoned Navajo uranium mines. At sites where EPA assumes cleanup responsibilities directly, the company will investigate mine sites, prepare analyses of possible cleanup plans, assist in designing final plans once they are selected, and provide technical support during and after cleanup actions. At sites where the EPA assumes an oversight role of others conducting investigation and cleanup work, Tetra Tech will support EPA in reviewing site reports, analyses of options, and remedial designs, and conducting field oversight during investigations and cleanup actions. Additionally, the company will work closely with EPA and other experts to guarantee technical consistency across the numerous parties working on Navajo mines to ensure that cleanups are conducted rapidly and effectively. Throughout all this work, the RAES II contract will support EPA’s coordination and outreach with its partners in the Navajo government, local Navajo communities, and many other stakeholders.
“With this new contract EPA will be driving forward our close cooperation with Navajo Nation on reducing the risks of radiation exposure from abandoned mines,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “The funds will also support jobs and other training opportunities for the Navajo people, working to address the legacy of contamination from former mines to protect future generations.”
During the Cold War, 30 million tons of uranium ore were mined on or adjacent to the Navajo Nation, leaving more than 500 abandoned uranium mines. Within the last five years, with support from the earlier RAES I contract, EPA has assessed and overseen work at more than 244 mine sites, developed technical standards to ensure high-quality cleanups (including a Navajo-specific risk assessment calculator), written evaluations of cleanup options for multiple mines, and engaged with communities across the Navajo Nation. In total, EPA has invested $1.7 billion – obtained through enforcement agreements and settlements – toward reducing the highest risks of radiation and heavy metals exposure to the Navajo people from abandoned uranium mines. Cleanup of abandoned mines is a closely coordinated effort between federal agencies and the Navajo Nation.
Tetra Tech will also continue to partner with Navajo Technical University and local businesses such as Iiná Bá Inc. and Riley Engineering to train Navajo members in professional assessment and cleanup work positions. In addition, the company has committed to procuring services and supplies from Navajo-owned businesses to help boost the local economy and create jobs. Under the contract, Tetra Tech will regularly report the assessment, training, and purchasing results to the agency, the Navajo Nation, and the public.
EPA looks forward to working with Tetra Tech to further our commitment to clean up these abandoned uranium mines over the next five years.
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