Attorney General Mayes Issues Statement on Uranium Hauling Across Tribal and Rural Lands

Yesterday, I was notified by Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren, Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch and Coconino County Supervisor Patrice Horstman that the U.S. Forest Service had informed them that Energy Fuels Resources, Inc. (EFRI) was transporting uranium ore from the Pinyon Plain Mine through our northern Arizona rural communities, including through the ancestral lands of the Havasupai Tribe onto the Navajo Nation and through a portion of Hopi lands as well. The U.S. Forest Service was also reportedly notified hours after the trucks had already left the mine.

Per these conversations, I was informed that EFRI and the mine owners had vowed to give all of the stakeholders at least a two week notice prior to hauling of the uranium ore from the mine to a processing facility in Blanding, Utah. I was also informed by Supervisor Horstman that the County and other stakeholders had asked for EFRI's emergency plan on several occasions, yet they had still not received it from the company as of yesterday.

My office is currently researching our options, but I remain deeply committed to doing
everything in my power to protect the health and safety of all Arizonans. Hauling radioactive materials through rural Arizona, including across the Navajo Nation, without providing notice or transparency and without providing an emergency plan is unacceptable.

I also remain concerned about the potential risks to Arizona's groundwater associated with the activities of this mine, including the risks posed to the only source of drinking water for the Havasupai Tribe. The Havasupai are the guardians of the Grand Canyon - our Arizona and National treasure, and they deserve to know that their groundwater will be protected. It is important to highlight that the Environmental Impact Statement for Pinyon Plain Mine was conducted decades ago (1986). And it is also important to remember that the Navajo, Hopi and Havasupai Nations are sovereign nations and have the right to protect the health and safety of their people.

We will continue to work together with our sovereign Tribal partners, rural county and city
leaders, U.S. Forest Service and other stakeholders to protect our communities.